SKIP TO CONTENT

balding

/ˈbɔldɪŋ/
/ˈbɔldɪŋ/
IPA guide

If your dad is losing his hair, you can describe him as balding — although it may hurt his feelings if he's sensitive about his looks.

Someone who's balding is well on his way to being bald. He may have a shiny bald patch on the back of his head or just extremely thin wisps of hair all over — either way, he's balding. Both balding and bald probably originated from the Celtic root word bal, which means "white patch or blaze," especially one that's found on a horse or another animal's head.

Definitions of balding
  1. adjective
    getting bald
    synonyms:
    hairless
    having no hair or fur
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘balding'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family