1. Gray or white with or as if with age; describes hair that has become white or gray with age: Henry had his hoary head trimmed by the barber.
2. Covered with fuzzy gray down or hair: The leaves on the strange plant in the garden were hoary and soft to touch.
3. Descriptive of someone or something which is old, respected, and considered ancient: The hoary monk was proud of the ancient, hoary text of the scriptures in his possession.
4. Something which is overused or that which is old and stale from overuse and so it is not interesting nor funny because of being presented too often: Jake's jokes were getting hoarier each time he told another one.
5. Etymology: from Old English har, "gray, venerable, old"; the connecting idea being "gray hair".

German continues using the word as a title of respect; as in Herr preceding the name of a man: "Guten morgan, Herr Schmidt."

Also, a reference to "frost", as it is recorded in Old English expressing the resemblance of the white feathers of frost with that of an old man's beard.