adjective
curly
KUR-lee
adjective
1
Formed into curls or ringlets; not straight.
"He has thick, curly hair that's impossible to tame."
2
Complicated or tricky to deal with.
"The negotiations got a bit curly toward the end."
How to Use Curly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMostly describes curly hair, but can also mean "tricky" or "complicated" informally.
Common pairings
curly hair
curly fries
a curly situation
Word Forms
curlier comparative, curlies plural, curliest superlative
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He has thick, _____ hair that's impossible to tame.
Etymology
From "curl" plus the adjective-forming suffix "-y."