Word Story
Wispy describes something that is noticeably thin, fine, or insubstantial, often with a feathery or airy quality. It is typically used for clouds, hair, smoke, or vegetation that appears delicate and easily moved. A secondary nuance applies it to things that are faint or slight, such as a wispy voice, a wispy memory, or a wispy excuse; in that sense it suggests something barely present or difficult to grasp. In everyday life, people are most likely to reach for it when describing a few pale clouds high in the sky or a baby's flyaway hair. A good real-world example is cirrus clouds: those delicate, feathery streaks often linger at high altitude and look as though a light touch could dissolve them. The word also fits a thin curl of smoke after a candle is blown out, rising and disappearing almost at once.