Fuzzy
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "fuzzy" can describe soda pop that still has bubbles and fizz. If it’s "fuzzy," it’s carbonated. If not, it’s flat.
Pronunciation
[FUH-zee]
Meaning & Usage
- Bubbly or carbonated (regional use) (adjective)
Mae:
This pop still fuzzy?
This pop still fuzzy?
Earl:
Yeah, opened it a minute ago - still got the bubbles.
Yeah, opened it a minute ago - still got the bubbles.- Soft, hairy, or blurry (standard use) (adjective)
Mae:
That peach is fuzzy.
That peach is fuzzy.variations: fizzy, sparkly, bubbly, carbonated, got the tickle, still got fizz, gone flat
★ When mountain folks asked if a drink was "fuzzy," they didn’t mean hairy - they meant fizzy, bubbly, still good to drink. ★
Origin and Etymology
From the standard English word "fuzzy," meaning soft or covered with fuzz. In Southern and Appalachian speech, it shifted playfully to describe the "fuzzy-looking" bubbles in soda pop.
Usage Notes
Still remembered in Appalachian and Southern families. Rare outside the region, where "fizzy" or "carbonated" is more common.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "fuh-zee." Same as the regular word "fuzzy."