curly

/ˈkʌrli/

/ˈkʌli/

Other forms: curliest; curlier

Something that's curly is wavy, coiled, or spiral-shaped. While you might envy your friend's straight, shiny hair, she may be equally envious of your wild, curly hair.

You can add curly ribbons to a plain package to dress it up, or buy kale in different varieties, including one with curly leaves. You're most likely to use the adjective curly, however, to describe someone's hair, if it falls in ringlets. Curly comes from curl, which was originally crulle, probably from the Middle Dutch word krul, "curly."

Definitions of curly

1. adjective

   (of hair) having curls or waves
   “they envied her naturally curly hair”

   synonyms:

   curled, curling

   of hair having curls

   crisp, frizzly, frizzy, kinky, nappy

   (of hair) in small tight curls

   permed

   styled with permanent waves

   ringleted

   (of hair) shaped into ringlets

   wavy

   (of hair) having waves

   antonyms:

   straight

   (of hair) having no waves or curls

   uncurled

   not having been curled

   unpermed

   not having had a permanent wave