flocculentadj.
/ˈflɒkjᵿlənt/, /ˈflɒkjᵿln̩t/, U.S. /ˈflɑkjələnt/ 1. Resembling flocks or tufts of wool; consisting of loose woolly masses.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being gathered together > [adjective] > collecting into one mass or body > agglomerated or conglomerated > into flocculent masses
flocked1659
tomentosea1715
flocculent1800
1800 tr. E. J. B. Bouillon-Lagrange Man. Course Chem. I. 249 A flocculent precipitate of magnesia.
1804 J. Abernethy Surg. Observ. 65 A congeries of flocculent fibres.
1821 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 10 270 [He] succeeded in sending up some pretty light floculent cirri.
1857 A. Henfrey Elem. Course Bot. §343 The mushroom is the large fleshy fruit arising from the flocculent mycelium, or ‘spawn’.
2. Of the atmosphere: Holding particles of aqueous vapour in suspension: cf. flocculus n. 1.
ΚΠ
1878 Smithsonian Inst. Rep. 510 A flocculent condition of the atmosphere, due to the varying density produced by the mingling of aqueous vapor.
3. Covered with a short woolly substance; downy.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > types of softness > [adjective] > soft and fluffy
mossy1561
downy1578
mosy1578
thrummy1597
cotton wool1648
cottonary1658
cottonous1664
cottony1664
tozy1706
flewsey1712
fuzzy1713
furzy1720
floscular1822
fuffy1824
fluffy1825
flossy1845
flocculent1870
furry1876
the world > life > biology > physical aspects or shapes > villosity or ciliation > [adjective] > hairiness > woolly or downy
downy1551
tomentous1657
tomentose1698
lanate1760
velutinous1826
fluffy1848
lanose1852
flocculent1870
1870 J. D. Hooker Student's Flora Brit. Islands 125 Leaves..more or less pubescent or flocculent below when young.
1874 E. Coues Birds Northwest 265 For the first two or three days they [the chicks] are only densely flocculent on the under parts.
Derivatives
ˈflocculently adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > physical aspects or shapes > villosity or ciliation > [adverb] > woolly or downy
flocculently1885
the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > types of softness > [adverb] > in a soft and fluffy manner
downily1811
fleecily1875
flocculently1885
fluffily1906
1885 Manch. Weekly Times 23 May (Suppl.) 8/1 The petioles were flocculently woolly.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adj.1800