lithe

[ lahyth ]

adjective

, lith·er, lith·est.

1. bending readily; pliant; limber; supple; flexible:

   the lithe body of a ballerina.

lithe

/ laɪð /

adjective

1. flexible or supple

Derived Forms

• ˈlitheness, noun
• ˈlithely, adverb

Other Words From

• lithely adverb
• litheness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lithe¹

before 900; Middle English lith(e), Old English līthe; cognate with Old Saxon līthi, German lind “mild,” Latin lentus “slow”

Word History and Origins

Origin of lithe¹

Old English (in the sense: gentle; C15: supple); related to Old High German lindi soft, Latin lentus slow

Example Sentences

Yet there were no pictures of Harry in his swimming trunks being kissed by lithe beauties on Ipanema Beach this week.

From The Daily Beast

He wanted to be lithe and smooth and lightly airborne, working on his break dancing until he could make himself appear to flow.

From The Daily Beast

Who was that lithe, bendable gymnast setting alight the Olympic flame?

From The Daily Beast

The fact is that Putin has never publically acknowledged his rumored relationship with the lithe, bendable Kabaeva.

From The Daily Beast

The Fishermen, like thieves, shake out their silver,/ the lithe knives wriggle on the drying sand.

From The Daily Beast

Of course the lithe and active Susy escaped him, and also escaped being too late by only half a minute.

From Project Gutenberg

Along the corridor he went with a lithe, silent step, moving from the hips and swinging his shoulders.

From Project Gutenberg

Clip, by a quick movement of his lithe body, caught the man's wrist and held the weapon back.

From Project Gutenberg

Peter, as lithe as a cat, was on his feet again almost at once, with a torn collar and an ugly mark on his face.

From Project Gutenberg

The animals are quite as large as ordinary horses, are lithe, active, and literally unhurtable.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• agile
• limber
• nimble
• slim
• supple