Definitions
01animal hair
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the soft, thick hair that grows on sheep, goats, or llamas.
n. the dense, curly hair forming the coat of sheep and similar ruminants.
日本語:羊毛※
“The farmer sheared the sheep to collect their thick winter wool.”
“High-quality wool is harvested from Merino sheep, prized for its exceptional softness and thermal properties compared to coarser varieties.”
02fabric or yarn
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a warm material or thread used for making clothes like sweaters and blankets.
n. textile fabric or yarn made from the processed hair of sheep or other animals.
日本語:ウール※
Español:lana
“She bought three balls of blue wool to knit a scarf for her brother.”
“The designer opted for a heavy wool blend to ensure the winter coat maintained its structure while providing maximum insulation.”
03fibrous material
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a material that looks or feels like sheep's hair, such as steel wool for cleaning.
n. any substance with a fibrous or tangled texture resembling animal wool.
“Use a piece of steel wool to scrub the rust off the old metal pan.”
“The cavity walls were packed with mineral wool to improve the building's energy efficiency and soundproofing.”
04outsider from Liverpool
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun British English · Dialect · Informal
n. a person who lives in a town just outside of Liverpool.
n. a derogatory term for a resident of the satellite towns surrounding Liverpool, such as St Helens or Warrington.
“He grew up in St Helens, so some people in Liverpool call him a wool.”
“The term 'wool' is often used by Liverpudlians to distinguish themselves from those living in the surrounding industrial boroughs.”
Teaching tip
This is a very specific regional term used in the North West of England; learners should avoid using it as it can be seen as insulting.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “wool” in context.
Verb
01. knit with wool
“My grandmother loves to knit with wool during the winter evenings.”
verb + prep + noun
02. shear wool
“Farmers usually shear wool from the sheep once a year in spring.”
verb + noun
03. spin wool
“In the past, women would spin wool into yarn by hand.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. coarse wool
“The rug was woven from coarse wool, making it very durable.”
adj + noun
05. pure wool
“This sweater is made of pure wool and is very warm.”
adj + noun
06. raw wool
“The factory processes raw wool directly from local sheep farms.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. ball of wool
“The cat was playing with a colorful ball of wool on the floor.”
noun + prep + noun
08. strand of wool
“She pulled a loose strand of wool from her sleeve.”
noun + prep + noun
09. dyed in the wool
“He is a dyed-in-the-wool conservative who refuses to change his mind.”
10. made of 100% wool
“This high-quality suit is made of 100% wool.”
11. made of pure wool
“High-quality suits are usually made of pure wool for a better fit.”
12. pull the wool over eyes
“Don't try to pull the wool over my eyes; I know what you're doing.”
Etymology
From Middle English wolle, from Old English wull, from Proto-West Germanic wullu, from Proto-Germanic wullō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂. Cognates Cognate with Saterland Frisian Wulle, German Low German Wull, Dutch wol, German Wolle, Norwegian ull; also Welsh gwlân, Latin lāna, Lithuanian vi̇̀lna, Russian во́лос (vólos), Slovak vlna, Bulgarian влас (vlas), Albanian lesh (“wool, hair, fleece”). Doublet of lana. The vowel development u → o → oo is purely graphical. Modern English generally avoids the string ⟨wu⟩ in favour of ⟨wo⟩, and the resulting woll was then altered to wool (as supposedly better representing the pronunciation).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/wool
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0