bowleg

American  

[boh-leg] / ˈboʊˌlɛg /

noun

Pathology.

1. outward curvature of the legs causing a separation of the knees when the ankles are close or in contact.

2. a leg so curved.

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Usage

What does bowleg mean? Bowleg is a condition in which the legs curve outward, causing the knees to point outward.Bowleg can also refer to a leg affected in this way.The word bow in the term is a reference to the type of curve seen in a bow—the kind used to shoot arrows.The condition can also be called bow legs or bandy legs. Someone with this condition can be described as bowlegged (or bow-legged). The condition of having bowleg can also be called bowleggedness.Many young children appear to have bowleg, but in most cases their legs straighten as they continue to grow. However, in some cases, abnormal bowing of the legs may be caused by diseases like rickets or Blount’s disease.Bowleggedness is associated with cowboys, probably due to the idea that the condition can be the result of spending too much time straddling a saddle. However, frequent horseback riding is unlikely to cause bowleg.Example: I had bowleg when I was a young child, but my legs straightened out by the time I was four or so.

Other Word Forms

• bowlegged adjective
• bowleggedness noun

Etymology

Origin of bowleg

First recorded in 1545–55; bow ² + leg

Example Sentences

Braces, vitamin D or calcium supplements, or even surgery are explored as possible treatments for bowlegs.

From Fox News

I remember Mitt pointing at the gnarled trunks of my father’s tanned bowlegs bared beneath his shorts and saying, “Grandpa’s a bulldog.”

From Literature

His nose grew too large for his face, and he developed bowlegs, two inheritances from his famous grandfather.

From New York Times

Howdy, bowleg," was the greeting shouted by one of these motoring mockers, who looked down on our saddled steeds, "better get a hustle on them hayburners.

From Project Gutenberg

So the summer and the autumn pass, without change, save that Emma Jane substitutes sweet potatoes for corn bread, and the fat baby has learned to balance himself upon his bowlegs.

From Project Gutenberg