gaunt

¹

[gawnt]

adjective

gaunter, gauntest 

1. extremely thin and bony; haggard and drawn, as from great hunger, weariness, or torture; emaciated.

   Synonyms: rawboned, angular, lank, scrawny, spare, lean
   Antonyms: stout

2. bleak, desolate, or grim, as places or things.

   a gaunt, windswept landscape.

Gaunt

²

[gawnt, gahnt]

noun

1. John of. John of Gaunt.

gaunt

/ ɡɔːnt /

adjective

1. bony and emaciated in appearance

2. (of places) bleak or desolate

Other Word Forms

• gauntness noun
• gauntly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of gaunt¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, probably from Old French gaunet, jaunet “yellowish,” derivative of gaune, jaune “yellow,” from Latin galbinus “greenish-yellow”

Word History and Origins

Origin of gaunt¹

C15: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare Norwegian dialect gand tall lean person

Synonym Study

See thin.

Example Sentences

His gaunt cheekbones just weren’t as obvious before.

From Los Angeles Times

She is seven months pregnant, gaunt and exhausted.

From BBC

The court heard one paramedic described him as looking "like a 90-year-old man", and gaunt.

From BBC

A group of prisoners, gaunt and starving, are commandeered to serve as unusually cooperative movie extras.

From Los Angeles Times

In recent months, Trachtenberg shared a number of photos to her 800,000+ followers appearing gaunt and frail, which led many of her fans to speculate on the condition of her mental and physical health.

From Salon

Related Words

• angular 
• emaciated 
• thin