fuzzy

Etymology

Uncertain. Apparently from fuzz + -y, though some sources suggest that fuzz derives from fuzzy. Compare fozy, or Low German fussig (“loose; spongy”).

adj

1. Covered with fuzz or a large number of tiny loose fibres like a carpet or many stuffed animals
2. Vague or imprecise.
   My recollection of that event is fuzzy.
3. Not clear; unfocused.
   I finally threw out a large stack of fuzzy photos.
4. (computing theory) Employing or relating to fuzzy logic.

noun

1. (often in the plural) A very small piece of plush material.
   You've got a fuzzy on your coat.
2. Something covered with fuzz or hair, as an animal or plush toy.
   If you don't yet have a ferret, this book can help you decide whether a fuzzy is for you. 2000, Kim Schilling, Ferrets for Dummies, New York: Wiley, page 1
3. (slang) A person, especially a college student, interested in humanities or social sciences, as opposed to one interested in mathematics, science, or engineering.
   A "fuzzy" on the other hand is a "people person," — someone who prefers studying the humanities or social sciences, someone who sees the world in broad contextual terms. 2010, Donald Barr, Questioning the Premedical Paradigm: Enhancing Diversity in the Medical Profession a Century after the Flexner Report, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, page 2
4. (slang, military) A soldier with the rank of private.