What is haggard? How to use in English

Definition & pronunciation of haggard

haggardadjective
xanh xao
/ˈhæɡəd//ˈhæɡərd/

Where does the word haggard come from?

The word "haggard" originated in the 15th century from the Old English words "hegar" meaning "wild" or "fierce" and "hagr" meaning "sharp" or "pointed". Initially, "haggard" referred to something wild, fierce, or sharp, such as a haggard bird or a haggard tooth. Over time, the meaning of the word expanded to describe a person or animal that is worn out, tired, or unkempt. A haggard person is often depicted as having sunken eyes, a pale complexion, and a disheveled appearance, as if they have been through a difficult or trying experience. In literature, the concept of a haggard person has been explored through characters like Shakespeare's Othello or Edgar Allan Poe's protagonist in "The Raven", adding to the word's depth and symbolism.

Vocabulary summary haggard

type adjective

meaning haggard, listless (due to fatigue, insomnia, anxiety)

meaning untamed, untrainable (because it is caught when it is grown) (falcon)

type noun

meaning Eagles cannot be trained (because they are only caught when they are grown up)

Example of vocabulary haggardnamespace

After working two jobs to make ends meet, Sarah looked haggard as she stumbled into her apartment, exhausted and in desperate need of rest.
The farmer's wife appeared haggard as she trudged through the fields, her footsteps slow and weary, her clothes worn and dirty.
Tom, the night shift janitor, came to work looking haggard and unshaven, his eyes heavy with the weight of fatigue.
The woman who had been living on the streets for months looked haggard and malnourished, her skin sallow and grey.
The old miner's face was haggard and lined with wrinkles, a testament to a life spent toiling deep in the earth.