What does wiry mean?
Word: Wiry
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Wiry means thin but strong and muscular; of hair or fur, stiff and rough, like wire.
Synonyms: sinewy, lean, tough
Antonyms: flabby, plump, soft
Word origin: Formed in English in the late 1500s from the noun wire, which comes from Old English wir.
How do you spell wiry?
Syllables: wir - y
Tricky part: The noun it comes from ends in e, but that e drops before the y: wiery and wirey are the slips.
Watch out for: wiery, wirey, wyry
Memory tip: Stone gives stony and bone gives bony: the final e drops before the y, and wiry follows suit.
Wiry in a sentence
Example 1: The wiry old porter carried two suitcases up the station steps.
Example 2: Our terrier has wiry brown fur that never lies flat.
Example 3: Marathon runners are often small and wiry.
Fun Fact
Some dog breeds, such as the wire-haired fox terrier, are named after their stiff, wiry coats.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) worry
b) wirry
c) merry
d) berry
Show answer
b) wirry. Worry, berry and merry really do double the r; wiry keeps the single r of wire.
Word Puzzle
Match the words with the correct options:
1. wiry 2. lenient 3. tedious a. strict b. chubby c. exciting
a) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
b) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
c) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
d) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
Show answer
a) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c. Wiry is the opposite of chubby, lenient the opposite of strict and tedious the opposite of exciting.
Sound Check
Which word does not rhyme with wiry?
a) diary
b) fairy
c) fiery
d) priory
Show answer
b) fairy. Fairy has the air sound of hair, while fiery, diary and priory all share the eye sound of wiry.
Word Champ
Choose the correct word for the blank:
The ___ farmer looked as thin as a reed, yet he lifted the sacks of rice with ease.
a) wiry
b) wary
c) dreary
d) airy
Show answer
a) wiry. Wary means cautious, dreary means dull and airy means full of fresh air; a thin but strong person is wiry.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which athlete is most likely to be called wiry?
a) a large wrestler with a broad chest
b) a tall swimmer with broad shoulders
c) a heavy weightlifter with thick arms
d) a slight runner who never seems to tire
Show answer
d) a slight runner who never seems to tire
2. Which of these could be described as wiry?
a) tough, springy grass on a windy hill
b) fine silk wound on a spool
c) soft moss on a shady rock
d) smooth petals on a rose
Show answer
a) tough, springy grass on a windy hill
