Grey hair or white hair












9















In my region is it usual that we say 'white' for hair which is not black or brown anymore as the age passes. But I've recently come to know that the word 'grey' can also be used instead of 'white'. Which word do you native use? The colour that I mean to ask about can be seen in the image.





enter image description here










share|improve this question


















  • 1





    See also (read: just to add to the confusion): silver-haired

    – mcalex
    Mar 13 at 8:58
















9















In my region is it usual that we say 'white' for hair which is not black or brown anymore as the age passes. But I've recently come to know that the word 'grey' can also be used instead of 'white'. Which word do you native use? The colour that I mean to ask about can be seen in the image.





enter image description here










share|improve this question


















  • 1





    See also (read: just to add to the confusion): silver-haired

    – mcalex
    Mar 13 at 8:58














9












9








9


2






In my region is it usual that we say 'white' for hair which is not black or brown anymore as the age passes. But I've recently come to know that the word 'grey' can also be used instead of 'white'. Which word do you native use? The colour that I mean to ask about can be seen in the image.





enter image description here










share|improve this question














In my region is it usual that we say 'white' for hair which is not black or brown anymore as the age passes. But I've recently come to know that the word 'grey' can also be used instead of 'white'. Which word do you native use? The colour that I mean to ask about can be seen in the image.





enter image description here







vocabulary






share|improve this question













share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked Mar 12 at 3:36









Zeeshan SiddiqiiZeeshan Siddiqii

637417




637417








  • 1





    See also (read: just to add to the confusion): silver-haired

    – mcalex
    Mar 13 at 8:58














  • 1





    See also (read: just to add to the confusion): silver-haired

    – mcalex
    Mar 13 at 8:58








1




1





See also (read: just to add to the confusion): silver-haired

– mcalex
Mar 13 at 8:58





See also (read: just to add to the confusion): silver-haired

– mcalex
Mar 13 at 8:58










8 Answers
8






active

oldest

votes


















9














In my experience as a native speaker in Britain, grey hair is the catch-all term for hair faded with age. If you were describing someone specific, and trying to be precise, you might say "white hair", or "grey, not white". In that sort of specific case, the one in your picture is white.






share|improve this answer































    14














    In America, at least, "gray hair" is a catch-all category that includes white. It would not be surprising to refer to someone with white hair and beard as having gray hair.



    Still, the more precise description of the beard in your picture would be white. Santa Claus is always depicted with white hair and a white beard, and almost nobody thinks of that image as being in any way gray. (And remember, the main difference between Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White in Peter Jackson's film series of The Lord of the Rings was the color of his robes.)



    It really just depends on how fussy you are. Hair color, like eye color, can be hard to pin down. A redhead I dated once asked me to describe her hair color. I told her it looked orange to me. She was pleased, and told me I was the first one who didn't just automatically tell her it was red. (For the record, it really was orange.)



    N.B. "Gray" and "grey" are alternate spellings of the word, the latter being chiefly British. But it doesn't matter which you use, unless you're trying to spell a proper name.






    share|improve this answer





















    • 12





      Fun fact: The colour orange (which was in fact named after the fruit) didn't have a separate word in English until comparatively late. This is why many things that nowadays we would consider orange are traditionally described as red, eg red hair, red kites, robin redbreast, and red deer. Orange was until not so long ago (in linguistic terms) just called red; if disambiguation from red was needed, it might have been called yellow-red.

      – Muzer
      Mar 12 at 10:13






    • 1





      @Muzer I think most people would describe red kites and red deer as brown, rather than orange.

      – David Richerby
      Mar 12 at 11:07











    • Lots of people use the specific applicable descriptor for white versus grey, but the process is always called "greying", in my experience, even if people consider their hair to be turning white. Seems odd.

      – The Nate
      Mar 12 at 19:14



















    4














    This may be my idiosyncratic take on it but I think grey hair and white hair are different, at least when talking about many hairs. For individual hairs, I would use the terms interchangeably.



    When all the hair on someone's head is grey / white, I would describe them as having white hair. But as long as they still have an appreciable number of darker hairs, I would say their hair is grey.






    share|improve this answer



















    • 2





      I don't think an individual human hair strand can even be gray. It's either pigmented (orginal colour) or not (white). The "gray" appearance comes from such hairs blending together (hair is partially translucent).

      – Angew
      Mar 12 at 10:28





















    4














    It's the obvious thing. Grey and white are just colours and you use whichever colour is most appropriate: "grey" if it's grey and "white" if it's white or very pale grey. How pale is "very pale" is a subjective decision and will probably depend on the light, anyway. If you do image searches for "grey hair" and "white hair", you'll see that most of the images for "white hair" are significantly paler than most of the "grey hair" images.






    share|improve this answer































      4














      When my hair started "greying" (in my late 20s or so), I talked about grey hair. As my original color went away and grey/white hair took it's place, I continued to refer to it as grey.



      Now, a few decades later, my hair and beard are both white now, like Santa's, white like the driven snow.






      share|improve this answer































        2














        We use grey to describe the colour of people's hair when it changes from its original colour, usually as they get old (source).



        However, "white hair" can also be said to express the same thing:




        (of hair, a beard, etc.) silvery or grey, usually from age (source).







        share|improve this answer































          2














          My step-father's hair was grey for many, many years. But now it's white.



          That's why I hear and read people using both terms, when appropriate.






          share|improve this answer































            1














            There are a lot of very good answers here. The guy in the picture appears to me to have white rather than gray hair. Though as @Flydog57 says, the verb that describes the process of hair lightening with age is graying (or greying).



            Also, if you want to be literary, you can use the word “hoary” to describe either the old person or their hair (not recommended for everyday speech, though):



            https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoary






            share|improve this answer























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              8 Answers
              8






              active

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              8 Answers
              8






              active

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              active

              oldest

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              active

              oldest

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              9














              In my experience as a native speaker in Britain, grey hair is the catch-all term for hair faded with age. If you were describing someone specific, and trying to be precise, you might say "white hair", or "grey, not white". In that sort of specific case, the one in your picture is white.






              share|improve this answer




























                9














                In my experience as a native speaker in Britain, grey hair is the catch-all term for hair faded with age. If you were describing someone specific, and trying to be precise, you might say "white hair", or "grey, not white". In that sort of specific case, the one in your picture is white.






                share|improve this answer


























                  9












                  9








                  9







                  In my experience as a native speaker in Britain, grey hair is the catch-all term for hair faded with age. If you were describing someone specific, and trying to be precise, you might say "white hair", or "grey, not white". In that sort of specific case, the one in your picture is white.






                  share|improve this answer













                  In my experience as a native speaker in Britain, grey hair is the catch-all term for hair faded with age. If you were describing someone specific, and trying to be precise, you might say "white hair", or "grey, not white". In that sort of specific case, the one in your picture is white.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered Mar 12 at 10:43









                  SamBCSamBC

                  13.3k1850




                  13.3k1850

























                      14














                      In America, at least, "gray hair" is a catch-all category that includes white. It would not be surprising to refer to someone with white hair and beard as having gray hair.



                      Still, the more precise description of the beard in your picture would be white. Santa Claus is always depicted with white hair and a white beard, and almost nobody thinks of that image as being in any way gray. (And remember, the main difference between Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White in Peter Jackson's film series of The Lord of the Rings was the color of his robes.)



                      It really just depends on how fussy you are. Hair color, like eye color, can be hard to pin down. A redhead I dated once asked me to describe her hair color. I told her it looked orange to me. She was pleased, and told me I was the first one who didn't just automatically tell her it was red. (For the record, it really was orange.)



                      N.B. "Gray" and "grey" are alternate spellings of the word, the latter being chiefly British. But it doesn't matter which you use, unless you're trying to spell a proper name.






                      share|improve this answer





















                      • 12





                        Fun fact: The colour orange (which was in fact named after the fruit) didn't have a separate word in English until comparatively late. This is why many things that nowadays we would consider orange are traditionally described as red, eg red hair, red kites, robin redbreast, and red deer. Orange was until not so long ago (in linguistic terms) just called red; if disambiguation from red was needed, it might have been called yellow-red.

                        – Muzer
                        Mar 12 at 10:13






                      • 1





                        @Muzer I think most people would describe red kites and red deer as brown, rather than orange.

                        – David Richerby
                        Mar 12 at 11:07











                      • Lots of people use the specific applicable descriptor for white versus grey, but the process is always called "greying", in my experience, even if people consider their hair to be turning white. Seems odd.

                        – The Nate
                        Mar 12 at 19:14
















                      14














                      In America, at least, "gray hair" is a catch-all category that includes white. It would not be surprising to refer to someone with white hair and beard as having gray hair.



                      Still, the more precise description of the beard in your picture would be white. Santa Claus is always depicted with white hair and a white beard, and almost nobody thinks of that image as being in any way gray. (And remember, the main difference between Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White in Peter Jackson's film series of The Lord of the Rings was the color of his robes.)



                      It really just depends on how fussy you are. Hair color, like eye color, can be hard to pin down. A redhead I dated once asked me to describe her hair color. I told her it looked orange to me. She was pleased, and told me I was the first one who didn't just automatically tell her it was red. (For the record, it really was orange.)



                      N.B. "Gray" and "grey" are alternate spellings of the word, the latter being chiefly British. But it doesn't matter which you use, unless you're trying to spell a proper name.






                      share|improve this answer





















                      • 12





                        Fun fact: The colour orange (which was in fact named after the fruit) didn't have a separate word in English until comparatively late. This is why many things that nowadays we would consider orange are traditionally described as red, eg red hair, red kites, robin redbreast, and red deer. Orange was until not so long ago (in linguistic terms) just called red; if disambiguation from red was needed, it might have been called yellow-red.

                        – Muzer
                        Mar 12 at 10:13






                      • 1





                        @Muzer I think most people would describe red kites and red deer as brown, rather than orange.

                        – David Richerby
                        Mar 12 at 11:07











                      • Lots of people use the specific applicable descriptor for white versus grey, but the process is always called "greying", in my experience, even if people consider their hair to be turning white. Seems odd.

                        – The Nate
                        Mar 12 at 19:14














                      14












                      14








                      14







                      In America, at least, "gray hair" is a catch-all category that includes white. It would not be surprising to refer to someone with white hair and beard as having gray hair.



                      Still, the more precise description of the beard in your picture would be white. Santa Claus is always depicted with white hair and a white beard, and almost nobody thinks of that image as being in any way gray. (And remember, the main difference between Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White in Peter Jackson's film series of The Lord of the Rings was the color of his robes.)



                      It really just depends on how fussy you are. Hair color, like eye color, can be hard to pin down. A redhead I dated once asked me to describe her hair color. I told her it looked orange to me. She was pleased, and told me I was the first one who didn't just automatically tell her it was red. (For the record, it really was orange.)



                      N.B. "Gray" and "grey" are alternate spellings of the word, the latter being chiefly British. But it doesn't matter which you use, unless you're trying to spell a proper name.






                      share|improve this answer















                      In America, at least, "gray hair" is a catch-all category that includes white. It would not be surprising to refer to someone with white hair and beard as having gray hair.



                      Still, the more precise description of the beard in your picture would be white. Santa Claus is always depicted with white hair and a white beard, and almost nobody thinks of that image as being in any way gray. (And remember, the main difference between Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White in Peter Jackson's film series of The Lord of the Rings was the color of his robes.)



                      It really just depends on how fussy you are. Hair color, like eye color, can be hard to pin down. A redhead I dated once asked me to describe her hair color. I told her it looked orange to me. She was pleased, and told me I was the first one who didn't just automatically tell her it was red. (For the record, it really was orange.)



                      N.B. "Gray" and "grey" are alternate spellings of the word, the latter being chiefly British. But it doesn't matter which you use, unless you're trying to spell a proper name.







                      share|improve this answer














                      share|improve this answer



                      share|improve this answer








                      edited Mar 12 at 14:30

























                      answered Mar 12 at 3:41









                      RobustoRobusto

                      12.2k23042




                      12.2k23042








                      • 12





                        Fun fact: The colour orange (which was in fact named after the fruit) didn't have a separate word in English until comparatively late. This is why many things that nowadays we would consider orange are traditionally described as red, eg red hair, red kites, robin redbreast, and red deer. Orange was until not so long ago (in linguistic terms) just called red; if disambiguation from red was needed, it might have been called yellow-red.

                        – Muzer
                        Mar 12 at 10:13






                      • 1





                        @Muzer I think most people would describe red kites and red deer as brown, rather than orange.

                        – David Richerby
                        Mar 12 at 11:07











                      • Lots of people use the specific applicable descriptor for white versus grey, but the process is always called "greying", in my experience, even if people consider their hair to be turning white. Seems odd.

                        – The Nate
                        Mar 12 at 19:14














                      • 12





                        Fun fact: The colour orange (which was in fact named after the fruit) didn't have a separate word in English until comparatively late. This is why many things that nowadays we would consider orange are traditionally described as red, eg red hair, red kites, robin redbreast, and red deer. Orange was until not so long ago (in linguistic terms) just called red; if disambiguation from red was needed, it might have been called yellow-red.

                        – Muzer
                        Mar 12 at 10:13






                      • 1





                        @Muzer I think most people would describe red kites and red deer as brown, rather than orange.

                        – David Richerby
                        Mar 12 at 11:07











                      • Lots of people use the specific applicable descriptor for white versus grey, but the process is always called "greying", in my experience, even if people consider their hair to be turning white. Seems odd.

                        – The Nate
                        Mar 12 at 19:14








                      12




                      12





                      Fun fact: The colour orange (which was in fact named after the fruit) didn't have a separate word in English until comparatively late. This is why many things that nowadays we would consider orange are traditionally described as red, eg red hair, red kites, robin redbreast, and red deer. Orange was until not so long ago (in linguistic terms) just called red; if disambiguation from red was needed, it might have been called yellow-red.

                      – Muzer
                      Mar 12 at 10:13





                      Fun fact: The colour orange (which was in fact named after the fruit) didn't have a separate word in English until comparatively late. This is why many things that nowadays we would consider orange are traditionally described as red, eg red hair, red kites, robin redbreast, and red deer. Orange was until not so long ago (in linguistic terms) just called red; if disambiguation from red was needed, it might have been called yellow-red.

                      – Muzer
                      Mar 12 at 10:13




                      1




                      1





                      @Muzer I think most people would describe red kites and red deer as brown, rather than orange.

                      – David Richerby
                      Mar 12 at 11:07





                      @Muzer I think most people would describe red kites and red deer as brown, rather than orange.

                      – David Richerby
                      Mar 12 at 11:07













                      Lots of people use the specific applicable descriptor for white versus grey, but the process is always called "greying", in my experience, even if people consider their hair to be turning white. Seems odd.

                      – The Nate
                      Mar 12 at 19:14





                      Lots of people use the specific applicable descriptor for white versus grey, but the process is always called "greying", in my experience, even if people consider their hair to be turning white. Seems odd.

                      – The Nate
                      Mar 12 at 19:14











                      4














                      This may be my idiosyncratic take on it but I think grey hair and white hair are different, at least when talking about many hairs. For individual hairs, I would use the terms interchangeably.



                      When all the hair on someone's head is grey / white, I would describe them as having white hair. But as long as they still have an appreciable number of darker hairs, I would say their hair is grey.






                      share|improve this answer



















                      • 2





                        I don't think an individual human hair strand can even be gray. It's either pigmented (orginal colour) or not (white). The "gray" appearance comes from such hairs blending together (hair is partially translucent).

                        – Angew
                        Mar 12 at 10:28


















                      4














                      This may be my idiosyncratic take on it but I think grey hair and white hair are different, at least when talking about many hairs. For individual hairs, I would use the terms interchangeably.



                      When all the hair on someone's head is grey / white, I would describe them as having white hair. But as long as they still have an appreciable number of darker hairs, I would say their hair is grey.






                      share|improve this answer



















                      • 2





                        I don't think an individual human hair strand can even be gray. It's either pigmented (orginal colour) or not (white). The "gray" appearance comes from such hairs blending together (hair is partially translucent).

                        – Angew
                        Mar 12 at 10:28
















                      4












                      4








                      4







                      This may be my idiosyncratic take on it but I think grey hair and white hair are different, at least when talking about many hairs. For individual hairs, I would use the terms interchangeably.



                      When all the hair on someone's head is grey / white, I would describe them as having white hair. But as long as they still have an appreciable number of darker hairs, I would say their hair is grey.






                      share|improve this answer













                      This may be my idiosyncratic take on it but I think grey hair and white hair are different, at least when talking about many hairs. For individual hairs, I would use the terms interchangeably.



                      When all the hair on someone's head is grey / white, I would describe them as having white hair. But as long as they still have an appreciable number of darker hairs, I would say their hair is grey.







                      share|improve this answer












                      share|improve this answer



                      share|improve this answer










                      answered Mar 12 at 6:45









                      DanDan

                      411




                      411








                      • 2





                        I don't think an individual human hair strand can even be gray. It's either pigmented (orginal colour) or not (white). The "gray" appearance comes from such hairs blending together (hair is partially translucent).

                        – Angew
                        Mar 12 at 10:28
















                      • 2





                        I don't think an individual human hair strand can even be gray. It's either pigmented (orginal colour) or not (white). The "gray" appearance comes from such hairs blending together (hair is partially translucent).

                        – Angew
                        Mar 12 at 10:28










                      2




                      2





                      I don't think an individual human hair strand can even be gray. It's either pigmented (orginal colour) or not (white). The "gray" appearance comes from such hairs blending together (hair is partially translucent).

                      – Angew
                      Mar 12 at 10:28







                      I don't think an individual human hair strand can even be gray. It's either pigmented (orginal colour) or not (white). The "gray" appearance comes from such hairs blending together (hair is partially translucent).

                      – Angew
                      Mar 12 at 10:28













                      4














                      It's the obvious thing. Grey and white are just colours and you use whichever colour is most appropriate: "grey" if it's grey and "white" if it's white or very pale grey. How pale is "very pale" is a subjective decision and will probably depend on the light, anyway. If you do image searches for "grey hair" and "white hair", you'll see that most of the images for "white hair" are significantly paler than most of the "grey hair" images.






                      share|improve this answer




























                        4














                        It's the obvious thing. Grey and white are just colours and you use whichever colour is most appropriate: "grey" if it's grey and "white" if it's white or very pale grey. How pale is "very pale" is a subjective decision and will probably depend on the light, anyway. If you do image searches for "grey hair" and "white hair", you'll see that most of the images for "white hair" are significantly paler than most of the "grey hair" images.






                        share|improve this answer


























                          4












                          4








                          4







                          It's the obvious thing. Grey and white are just colours and you use whichever colour is most appropriate: "grey" if it's grey and "white" if it's white or very pale grey. How pale is "very pale" is a subjective decision and will probably depend on the light, anyway. If you do image searches for "grey hair" and "white hair", you'll see that most of the images for "white hair" are significantly paler than most of the "grey hair" images.






                          share|improve this answer













                          It's the obvious thing. Grey and white are just colours and you use whichever colour is most appropriate: "grey" if it's grey and "white" if it's white or very pale grey. How pale is "very pale" is a subjective decision and will probably depend on the light, anyway. If you do image searches for "grey hair" and "white hair", you'll see that most of the images for "white hair" are significantly paler than most of the "grey hair" images.







                          share|improve this answer












                          share|improve this answer



                          share|improve this answer










                          answered Mar 12 at 11:04









                          David RicherbyDavid Richerby

                          7,3712042




                          7,3712042























                              4














                              When my hair started "greying" (in my late 20s or so), I talked about grey hair. As my original color went away and grey/white hair took it's place, I continued to refer to it as grey.



                              Now, a few decades later, my hair and beard are both white now, like Santa's, white like the driven snow.






                              share|improve this answer




























                                4














                                When my hair started "greying" (in my late 20s or so), I talked about grey hair. As my original color went away and grey/white hair took it's place, I continued to refer to it as grey.



                                Now, a few decades later, my hair and beard are both white now, like Santa's, white like the driven snow.






                                share|improve this answer


























                                  4












                                  4








                                  4







                                  When my hair started "greying" (in my late 20s or so), I talked about grey hair. As my original color went away and grey/white hair took it's place, I continued to refer to it as grey.



                                  Now, a few decades later, my hair and beard are both white now, like Santa's, white like the driven snow.






                                  share|improve this answer













                                  When my hair started "greying" (in my late 20s or so), I talked about grey hair. As my original color went away and grey/white hair took it's place, I continued to refer to it as grey.



                                  Now, a few decades later, my hair and beard are both white now, like Santa's, white like the driven snow.







                                  share|improve this answer












                                  share|improve this answer



                                  share|improve this answer










                                  answered Mar 12 at 14:05









                                  Flydog57Flydog57

                                  1814




                                  1814























                                      2














                                      We use grey to describe the colour of people's hair when it changes from its original colour, usually as they get old (source).



                                      However, "white hair" can also be said to express the same thing:




                                      (of hair, a beard, etc.) silvery or grey, usually from age (source).







                                      share|improve this answer




























                                        2














                                        We use grey to describe the colour of people's hair when it changes from its original colour, usually as they get old (source).



                                        However, "white hair" can also be said to express the same thing:




                                        (of hair, a beard, etc.) silvery or grey, usually from age (source).







                                        share|improve this answer


























                                          2












                                          2








                                          2







                                          We use grey to describe the colour of people's hair when it changes from its original colour, usually as they get old (source).



                                          However, "white hair" can also be said to express the same thing:




                                          (of hair, a beard, etc.) silvery or grey, usually from age (source).







                                          share|improve this answer













                                          We use grey to describe the colour of people's hair when it changes from its original colour, usually as they get old (source).



                                          However, "white hair" can also be said to express the same thing:




                                          (of hair, a beard, etc.) silvery or grey, usually from age (source).








                                          share|improve this answer












                                          share|improve this answer



                                          share|improve this answer










                                          answered Mar 12 at 3:42









                                          EngurooEnguroo

                                          3,6051626




                                          3,6051626























                                              2














                                              My step-father's hair was grey for many, many years. But now it's white.



                                              That's why I hear and read people using both terms, when appropriate.






                                              share|improve this answer




























                                                2














                                                My step-father's hair was grey for many, many years. But now it's white.



                                                That's why I hear and read people using both terms, when appropriate.






                                                share|improve this answer


























                                                  2












                                                  2








                                                  2







                                                  My step-father's hair was grey for many, many years. But now it's white.



                                                  That's why I hear and read people using both terms, when appropriate.






                                                  share|improve this answer













                                                  My step-father's hair was grey for many, many years. But now it's white.



                                                  That's why I hear and read people using both terms, when appropriate.







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                                                  answered Mar 12 at 21:05









                                                  RonJohnRonJohn

                                                  27816




                                                  27816























                                                      1














                                                      There are a lot of very good answers here. The guy in the picture appears to me to have white rather than gray hair. Though as @Flydog57 says, the verb that describes the process of hair lightening with age is graying (or greying).



                                                      Also, if you want to be literary, you can use the word “hoary” to describe either the old person or their hair (not recommended for everyday speech, though):



                                                      https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoary






                                                      share|improve this answer




























                                                        1














                                                        There are a lot of very good answers here. The guy in the picture appears to me to have white rather than gray hair. Though as @Flydog57 says, the verb that describes the process of hair lightening with age is graying (or greying).



                                                        Also, if you want to be literary, you can use the word “hoary” to describe either the old person or their hair (not recommended for everyday speech, though):



                                                        https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoary






                                                        share|improve this answer


























                                                          1












                                                          1








                                                          1







                                                          There are a lot of very good answers here. The guy in the picture appears to me to have white rather than gray hair. Though as @Flydog57 says, the verb that describes the process of hair lightening with age is graying (or greying).



                                                          Also, if you want to be literary, you can use the word “hoary” to describe either the old person or their hair (not recommended for everyday speech, though):



                                                          https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoary






                                                          share|improve this answer













                                                          There are a lot of very good answers here. The guy in the picture appears to me to have white rather than gray hair. Though as @Flydog57 says, the verb that describes the process of hair lightening with age is graying (or greying).



                                                          Also, if you want to be literary, you can use the word “hoary” to describe either the old person or their hair (not recommended for everyday speech, though):



                                                          https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoary







                                                          share|improve this answer












                                                          share|improve this answer



                                                          share|improve this answer










                                                          answered Mar 12 at 22:05









                                                          MixolydianMixolydian

                                                          3,806513




                                                          3,806513






























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