Dictionary

husky en · ADJ · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈhʌs.ki/ (UK, US)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From husk + -y; in relation to voice, from the sense "dry as a husk" or "tough as a husk".

Meanings

1. Of a voice, hoarse and rough-sounding; throaty.
   • Her voice was boy-husky, sounding as though strained through some rough material ... 1948, Truman Capote, Other Voices, Other Rooms, Part One, 1:
   • Mr. Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile, he had borne himself to the lawyer with a sort of murderous mixture of timidity and boldness, and he spoke with a husky, whispering and somewhat broken voice; all these were points against him, but not all of these together could explain the hitherto unknown disgust, loathing and fear with which Mr. Utterson regarded him. 1886 January 5, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Search for Mr. Hyde”, in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 25:
2. (US, euphemistic) Burly, stout; sometimes as a modifier for boys' clothing sizes that fit a large waist or chest.
   • You look like a good, husky man to pitch in the barnyard […] 1910, Hamlin Garland, Other Main-Travelled Roads:
   • Word got around quickly that this plane, which has been flying since January, is bigger and huskier than our proposed C-5A […] 1965, Popular Mechanics, September issue, page 22:
3. Abounding with husks; consisting of husks.
   • Some swains have sown before: but most have found A husky harvest from the grudging ground. 1697, Virgil, “The First Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
4. (archaic, slang) Belligerent; hostile and uncooperative.
   • “Well, here it is,” said Silver. “We want that treasure, and we’ll have it — that’s our point! You would just as soon save your lives, I reckon; and that’s yours. You have a chart, haven’t you?” “That’s as may be,” replied the captain. “Oh, well, you have, I know that,” returned Long John. “You needn’t be so husky with a man; there ain’t a particle of service in that, and you may lay to it. What I mean is, we want your chart. Now, I never meant you no harm, myself.” 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

huskiness · huskily

Translations (42)

es aguardentoso (hoarse and rough-sounding) · pt rouco (hoarse and rough-sounding) · sh potkožen (burly, thick; fat, overweight) · pt enrouquecido (hoarse and rough-sounding) · fi vankka (burly, thick; fat, overweight) · fi käheä (hoarse and rough-sounding) · fr rauque (hoarse and rough-sounding) · el βραχνός (hoarse and rough-sounding) · ru хри́плый (hoarse and rough-sounding) · de pummelig (burly, thick; fat, overweight) · ca ronc (hoarse and rough-sounding) · bg дрезгав (hoarse and rough-sounding) · es rauco (hoarse and rough-sounding) · ru оси́плый (hoarse and rough-sounding) · sv hes (hoarse and rough-sounding) · hu robusztus (burly, thick; fat, overweight) · es enronquecido (hoarse and rough-sounding) · ru охри́пший (hoarse and rough-sounding) · ja しゃがれた (hoarse and rough-sounding) · is rámur (hoarse and rough-sounding) · bg як (burly, thick; fat, overweight) · hu fátyolos (hoarse and rough-sounding) · gl rouco (hoarse and rough-sounding) · de heiser (hoarse and rough-sounding) · ru си́плый (hoarse and rough-sounding) · bg мощен (burly, thick; fat, overweight) · es aguardientoso (hoarse and rough-sounding) · hu rekedt (hoarse and rough-sounding) · ru доро́дный (burly, thick; fat, overweight) · de stämmig (burly, thick; fat, overweight) · nrf enroué (hoarse and rough-sounding) · es afónico (hoarse and rough-sounding) · cmn 嘶啞 /嘶哑 (hoarse and rough-sounding) · sh mukao (hoarse and rough-sounding) · bg прегракнал (hoarse and rough-sounding) · es ronco (hoarse and rough-sounding) · hu nagydarab (burly, thick; fat, overweight) · hu tenyeres-talpas (burly, thick; fat, overweight) · fr enroué (hoarse and rough-sounding) · sh hrapav (hoarse and rough-sounding) · hu tagbaszakadt (burly, thick; fat, overweight) · cmn 沙啞 /沙哑 (hoarse and rough-sounding)

husky en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈhʌs.ki/ (UK, US)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Shortening of husky dog, where husky is ultimately from the same Old Montagnais root as Eskimo.

Meanings

1. Any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs.
   • The White House posted a cartoon to X on Wednesday of two Greenlandic mush teams with three huskies each, pointing towards the choice of the white pillars and the South Lawn or a tempestuous scene by the Great Wall of China and Red Square in Russia. 2026 January 14, Ben Makuch, “White House post nods to racist, far-right subculture, extremism expert says”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 15 Jan 2026:

Forms

Deriveds

Mackenzie River husky · Pomsky · Labsky · Siberian husky · Samusky · huskysona · Horgi

Relateds

Husky · Eskimo

Synonyms

polar dog

Translations (26)

ja ハスキー (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · taa ɬichwx (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · ru эскимо́сская ла́йка (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · pt husky (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · es husky (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · de Polarhund (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · ms huski (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · fr husky (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · sh haski (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · nb husky (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · pl husky (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · nn husky (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · cmn 二哈 (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · el χάσκυ (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · cmn 哈士奇 (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · aht łicox (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · de Husky (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · ru ха́ски (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · ga huscaí (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · bg хъски (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · mk хаски (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · ja ハスキー犬 (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · it husky (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · cy hysgi (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · fi husky (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs) · eo ĥaskio (any of several breeds of dogs used as sled dogs)