lanky

American  

[lang-kee] / ˈlæŋ ki /

adjective

lankier, lankiest

1. ungracefully thin and rawboned; bony; gaunt.

   a very tall and lanky man.

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lanky British  

/ ˈlæŋkɪ /

adjective

1. tall, thin, and loose-jointed

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Other Word Forms

• lankily adverb
• lankiness noun

Etymology

Origin of lanky

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

Example Sentences

“People think I’m on drugs because of my appearance,” says Joe H., a lanky, long-haired brunette holding an electric guitar on his lap.

From The Wall Street Journal

"I really love it," the lanky 14-year-old said, "because I can talk in person with my classmates again."

From Barron's

“That was just stunning to me,” said the folksy Collinsworth, still lanky and boyish at 66.

From Los Angeles Times

Weeks, who is a lanky 6 feet 5 inches tall, acts giddy on the factory floor, chatting with employees just steps away from towering machines churning out products at 1,450 degrees Celsius.

From Barron's

The imposingly lanky, gracefully handsome Elordi, born in Australia, has risen in profile over the last few years, thanks to roles in the hit series “Euphoria” and the psychosexual class-climbing thriller “Saltburn.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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