bowlegged

American  

[boh-leg-id, boh-legd] / ˈboʊˌlɛg ɪd, ˈboʊˌlɛgd /

adjective

1. having bowleg; having the legs curved slightly outward, so that in a standing position the knees do not touch when the feet are together.

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Other Word Forms

• bowleggedness
  noun
• bowleggedly
  adverb

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Explanation

If a person is bowlegged, he or she suffers from a condition that causes the thigh bones to curve out instead of being straight. Some people look temporarily bowlegged after riding a horse. The adjective bowlegged can describe a medical condition and also a habit of standing in a certain posture. There are some causes of being bowlegged that can be treated, especially in childhood. Often toddlers who are new to walking stand in a bowlegged position — this is rarely serious, and it corrects itself as their legs get stronger. The word bowlegged comes from the way the legs curve, in the shape of a bow.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bowlegged

There's no room for Garrincha either, the dazzling bowlegged Brazilian winger, or Roberto Baggio, a true Italian icon, and France striker Just Fontaine, who netted 13 in the 1958 tournament alone.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

Like Grant, he walked bowlegged and the hair and makeup team augmented Isaacs’ hair, chin and eyes, with particular consideration for how he would age over the story.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 7, 2023

He described Shorty thus: “He was bowlegged as a wish bone you could walk a pony through.”

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 5, 2022

I had visions of a bowlegged congregation stumbling up the aisle!

From Washington Post ● May 28, 2021

In the absence of her bloodriders, a wizened jaqqa rhan called Rommo, squint-eyed and bowlegged, came to speak for her Dothraki.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

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