burly Meaning & Definition
What Does Burly Mean?
Burly is an adjective that means Large, well-built, and muscular. It can also mean Great, amazing, unbelievable.
Burly: Key Facts
| Part of speech | adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɜːli/ |
| Synonyms | robust, beefy and strapping |
| Comparative / superlative | burlier, burliest |
Burly Definition (Adjective)
- Large, well-built, and muscular.
He’s a big, burly rugby player who works as a landscape gardener.
- Great, amazing, unbelievable.
That goal was burly.
- Of large magnitude, either good or bad, and sometimes both.
That wave was burly! (i.e. large, dangerous and difficult to ride)
Adjective
- Full of burls or knots; knotty.
Adjective
- (usually of a man) Large, well-built, and muscular.
He’s a big, burly rugby player who works as a landscape gardener.
- (East End of London) Great, amazing, unbelievable.
Kimi Räikkönen is a burly Formula 1 driver.
- (surf culture and/or Southern California) Of large magnitude, either good or bad, and sometimes both.
That wave was burly! (i.e. large, dangerous and difficult to ride)
Synonyms of Burly
Burly synonyms and antonyms →Burly in a Sentence
He’s a big, burly rugby player who works as a landscape gardener.
That goal was burly.
Kimi Räikkönen is a burly Formula 1 driver.
That wave was burly! (i.e. large, dangerous and difficult to ride)
This hike is going to be burly, but worth it because there is good body surfing at that beach.
Word Forms & Grammar
burly (comparative burlier, superlative burliest)
burly (comparative more burly, superlative most burly)
Words That Rhyme With Burly
Origin of Burly
Origin 1: From Middle English burly, burely, borly, burlich, borlich, borlic (“tall, stately”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Scots burely, burly (“rough, stout, sturdy, strong”). Perhaps from Old English *būrlīċ (“noble, stately”, literally “bowerly”); or from Old English *byrlīċ (“high, raised”), from byre (“raised area, mound”), cognate with Old High German burlīh, purlīh (“lofty, elevated, high, exalted”), related to Old High German burjan (“to raise, lift, push up”), English burgeon. However, Irish burla (“bundle, pack; burly person”) points to a different origin. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.
Origin 2: From burl + -y.
Questions People Ask About Burly
What part of speech is burly?
Burly is an adjective.
What is another word for burly?
Words with a similar meaning to burly include robust, beefy and strapping. See the full list of burly synonyms and antonyms.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of burly?
The comparative form is burlier and the superlative form is burliest.