Fuzz is a soft, light covering of short, fine fibers or hairs. You might notice fuzz on a peach, on a tennis ball, or on an old sweater that's starting to pill. New chicks are covered in fuzzy down feathers, and some caterpillars have fuzzy bodies that make them look soft and harmless (though some fuzzy caterpillars can actually irritate your skin, so it's best not to touch them).

The word can also describe something unclear or blurry. When a photograph is out of focus, we might say the image is fuzzy. When you can't quite remember the details of something that happened long ago, you might say your memory is fuzzy around the edges.

In electronics, fuzz refers to a distorted, rough sound, especially in music. Rock guitarists use a fuzz pedal to make their instruments sound grittier and more aggressive, transforming clean notes into something that buzzes and roars.

You might also hear people talk about peach fuzz, the very fine, barely visible hair that grows on a young person's face before they're old enough to grow a beard or mustache.