frizz

Meanings

1. Of hair, to form into a mass of tight curls.
2. To curl; to make frizzy.
3. To form into little burs, knobs, or tufts, as the nap of cloth.
4. To make (leather) soft and of even thickness by rubbing, as with pumice stone or a blunt instrument.
5. To fry, cook, or sear with a sizzling noise; to sizzle.

1. A mass of tightly curled or unruly hair.

Etymology

From Middle English frysen, from Old French friser, frizer (“to frizzle, crisp, curl, ruffle, braid, touch lightly, graze, scratch”), of Proto-Germanic origin, perhaps via Old Frankish *fris (“curl”), from Proto-Germanic *frisaz (“frizzy, curly”). Cognate with Old Frisian frisle, frēsle ("the hair of the head, lock of hair, curl, ringlet"; > North Frisian friessle, fressle (“hair, horse's tail”), West Frisian frisseljen (“braid of hair, braid”)), Old English frīs (“crisped, curled”).