underfur

American

[uhn-der-fur] / ˈʌn dərˌfɜr /

noun

the fine, soft, thick, hairy coat under the longer and coarser outer hair in certain animals, as seals, otters, and beavers.

underfur British

/ ˈʌndəˌfɜː /

noun

Also called: undercoat. the layer of dense soft fur occurring beneath the outer coarser fur in certain mammals, such as the otter and seal

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of underfur

First recorded in 1875–80; under- + fur

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But beneath those, there’s a much thicker layer of underfur.

From Washington Post

By the ’70s, he was able to help support his young family by selling raccoon pelts, which fetched $25 or more for their thick underfur.

From Washington Post

Silver moved in a halo of light, for the sun sparkled on the guard hairs that grew out over the dense underfur and she seemed to glow.

From Literature

We examine luxurious scarves made from the underfur of Tibetan antelopes, which can sell for $5,000, or more if embroidered.

From Newsweek

Color: Darker throughout, especially on dorsal surface due to more black of the underfur; underparts deeper buff.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023