naked

[ney-kid]

adjective

1. being without clothing or covering; nude.

   naked children swimming in the lake.

   Synonyms: undressed, uncovered

2. without adequate clothing.

   a naked little beggar.

3. bare of any covering, overlying matter, vegetation, foliage, or the like.

   naked fields.

4. bare, stripped, or destitute (usually followed byof ).

   The trees were suddenly naked of leaves.

   Synonyms: denuded

5. without the customary covering, container, or protection.

   a naked sword;

   a naked flame.

   Synonyms: exposed

6. without carpets, hangings, or furnishings, as rooms or walls.

7. (of the eye, sight, etc.) unassisted by a microscope, telescope, or other instrument.

   visible to the naked eye.

8. defenseless; unprotected; exposed.

   naked to invaders.

   Synonyms: open, unarmed

9. plain; simple; unadorned.

   the naked realities of the matter.

10. not accompanied or supplemented by anything else.

    a naked outline of the facts.

11. exposed to view or plainly revealed.

    the naked threat in the letter;

    a naked vein of coal.

    Synonyms: patent, obvious, manifest, evident, blatant

12. plain-spoken; blunt.

    the naked truth.

    Synonyms: unvarnished, stark, simple

13. Law.,  unsupported, as by authority or consideration.

    a naked promise.

14. Botany.

    1. (of seeds) not enclosed in an ovary.

    2. (of flowers) without a calyx or perianth.

    3. (of stalks, branches, etc.) without leaves.

    4. (of stalks, leaves, etc.) without hairs or pubescence.

15. Zoology.,  having no covering of hair, feathers, shell, etc.

naked

/ ˈneɪkɪd /

adjective

1. having the body completely unclothed; undressed Compare bare 1

2. having no covering; bare; exposed

   a naked flame

3. with no qualification or concealment; stark; plain

   the naked facts

4. unaided by any optical instrument, such as a telescope or microscope (esp in the phrase the naked eye )

5. with no defence, protection, or shield

6. (usually foll by of) stripped or destitute

   naked of weapons

7. (of the seeds of gymnosperms) not enclosed in a pericarp

8. (of flowers) lacking a perianth

9. (of stems) lacking leaves and other appendages

10. (of animals) lacking hair, feathers, scales, etc

11. law

    1. unsupported by authority or financial or other consideration

       a naked contract

    2. lacking some essential condition to render valid; incomplete

Other Word Forms

• nakedly adverb
• nakedness noun
• half-naked adjective
• seminaked adjective
• unnaked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of naked¹

before 900; Middle English naked ( e ), Old English nacod; cognate with Dutch naakt, German nackt, Gothic naqths; akin to Old Norse nakinn, Latin nūdus, Greek gymnós, Sanskrit nagnás

Word History and Origins

Origin of naked¹

Old English nacod; related to Old High German nackot (German nackt ), Old Norse noktr, Latin nudus

Example Sentences

Looking up, we discover that these are the naked trunks of trees, their reedy, leafless tops scraping against a gray sky.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I remain unsure if it was the flames or me, the naked man, trying to put them out.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“And if we don’t preserve that, it’ll be naked power all the way down.”

Read more on Salon

"All we talk about is work and weather… God I hate this / Why are you acting like you haven't seen me naked?" she agonises over the acoustic strum of Small Talk.

Read more on BBC

Inspired by the film Calendar Girls, villagers in King's Cliffe in Northamptonshire rallied round to create a naked edition after their neighbour was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2024.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• bare 
• defenseless 
• exposed 
• helpless 
• nude