lithe

[ lahyth ]

/ laɪð /

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See synonyms for: lithe / litheness on Thesaurus.com

Definition of lithe

adjective, lith·er, lith·est.

bending readily; pliant; limber; supple; flexible: the lithe body of a ballerina.

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Also lithe·some

[lahyth-suhm] /ˈlaɪð səm/ .

Origin of lithe

before 900; Middle English lith(e), Old English līthe; cognate with Old Saxon līthi, German lind “mild,” Latin lentus “slow”

OTHER WORDS FROM lithe

lithely, adverblitheness, noun

Words nearby lithe

literature, literatus, lith, lithagogue, litharge, lithe, lithectomy, lithemia, lithesome, lithia, lithiasis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use lithe in a sentence

Now, as long as you aren’t chasing lithe ski mountaineers uphill, you can ski in-bounds and out on a single setup without compromising on the thrill of the descent.
Our Ski-Test Director’s Go-To Backcountry Kit|agintzler|October 14, 2021|Outside Online
Yet there were no pictures of Harry in his swimming trunks being kissed by lithe beauties on Ipanema Beach this week.
Prince Harry Should Be King: The Royal Family’s Ace Card|Tim Teeman|June 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He wanted to be lithe and smooth and lightly airborne, working on his break dancing until he could make himself appear to flow.
Shaq, Year One|Charles P. Pierce|May 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Who was that lithe, bendable gymnast setting alight the Olympic flame?
Meet Putin’s Olympic Torch-Lighting Paramour|Lizzie Crocker|February 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The fact is that Putin has never publically acknowledged his rumored relationship with the lithe, bendable Kabaeva.
Meet Putin’s Olympic Torch-Lighting Paramour|Lizzie Crocker|February 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Fishermen, like thieves, shake out their silver,/ the lithe knives wriggle on the drying sand.
This Week’s Hot Reads: January 19th, 2014|Nicholas Mancusi|January 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Of course the lithe and active Susy escaped him, and also escaped being too late by only half a minute.
The Garret and the Garden|R.M. Ballantyne
Along the corridor he went with a lithe, silent step, moving from the hips and swinging his shoulders.
Dope|Sax Rohmer
Clip, by a quick movement of his lithe body, caught the man's wrist and held the weapon back.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run|Stanley R. Matthews
Peter, as lithe as a cat, was on his feet again almost at once, with a torn collar and an ugly mark on his face.
The Double Four|E. Phillips Oppenheim
The animals are quite as large as ordinary horses, are lithe, active, and literally unhurtable.
Spanish Life in Town and Country|L. Higgin and Eugne E. Street

British Dictionary definitions for lithe

lithe

/ (laɪð) /

adjective

flexible or supple

Derived forms of lithe

lithely, adverblitheness, noun

Word Origin for lithe

Old English (in the sense: gentle; C15: supple); related to Old High German lindi soft, Latin lentus slow

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

lithe

Definition of lithe

Origin of lithe

OTHER WORDS FROM lithe

Words nearby lithe

Words related to lithe

How to use lithe in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lithe

Derived forms of lithe

Word Origin for lithe