lanky

[lang-kee]

adjective

lankier, lankiest 

1. ungracefully thin and rawboned; bony; gaunt.

   a very tall and lanky man.

lanky

/ ˈlæŋkɪ /

adjective

1. tall, thin, and loose-jointed

Other Word Forms

• lankily adverb
• lankiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lanky¹

First recorded in 1660–70; lank + -y ¹

Example Sentences

The trained birds are Harris’s hawks, also known as the bay-winged hawk, large and lanky raptors that breed from the southwestern United States and throughout South America.

From Los Angeles Times

Like many young men these days, Kamaldeep Dhanoa, a lanky 17-year-old, knew he wanted to do something with his life, be a part of something, but didn’t quite know what that meant.

From Los Angeles Times

His instincts, lanky frame and knowledge from playing receiver come into play at a position in which misjudgments or a failure to respect an opponent can leave the defender getting burned for a touchdown.

From Los Angeles Times

Ever since the Dodgers acquired the tall, lanky and Southern California-raised right-hander, those two issues have plagued the $136.5-million acquisition in ways that have frustrated him, the team and its fan base.

From Los Angeles Times

A lanky, warm presence with a sociable smile, Turner-Seed is never far from a keenly observed thought or ambivalent feeling.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• angular 
• gangly 
• gaunt 
• rangy 
• scrawny 
• slender 
• spindly