naked

[ney-kid]

adjective

1. being without clothing or covering; nude.

   naked children swimming in the lake.

   Synonyms: undressed, uncovered

2. without adequate clothing.

   a naked little beggar.

3. bare of any covering, overlying matter, vegetation, foliage, or the like.

   naked fields.

4. bare, stripped, or destitute (usually followed byof ).

   The trees were suddenly naked of leaves.

   Synonyms: denuded

5. without the customary covering, container, or protection.

   a naked sword;

   a naked flame.

   Synonyms: exposed

6. without carpets, hangings, or furnishings, as rooms or walls.

7. (of the eye, sight, etc.) unassisted by a microscope, telescope, or other instrument.

   visible to the naked eye.

8. defenseless; unprotected; exposed.

   naked to invaders.

   Synonyms: open, unarmed

9. plain; simple; unadorned.

   the naked realities of the matter.

10. not accompanied or supplemented by anything else.

    a naked outline of the facts.

11. exposed to view or plainly revealed.

    the naked threat in the letter;

    a naked vein of coal.

    Synonyms: patent, obvious, manifest, evident, blatant

12. plain-spoken; blunt.

    the naked truth.

    Synonyms: unvarnished, stark, simple

13. Law.,  unsupported, as by authority or consideration.

    a naked promise.

14. Botany.

    1. (of seeds) not enclosed in an ovary.

    2. (of flowers) without a calyx or perianth.

    3. (of stalks, branches, etc.) without leaves.

    4. (of stalks, leaves, etc.) without hairs or pubescence.

15. Zoology.,  having no covering of hair, feathers, shell, etc.

naked

/ ˈneɪkɪd /

adjective

1. having the body completely unclothed; undressed Compare bare 1

2. having no covering; bare; exposed

   a naked flame

3. with no qualification or concealment; stark; plain

   the naked facts

4. unaided by any optical instrument, such as a telescope or microscope (esp in the phrase the naked eye )

5. with no defence, protection, or shield

6. (usually foll by of) stripped or destitute

   naked of weapons

7. (of the seeds of gymnosperms) not enclosed in a pericarp

8. (of flowers) lacking a perianth

9. (of stems) lacking leaves and other appendages

10. (of animals) lacking hair, feathers, scales, etc

11. law

    1. unsupported by authority or financial or other consideration

       a naked contract

    2. lacking some essential condition to render valid; incomplete

Other Word Forms

• nakedly adverb
• nakedness noun
• half-naked adjective
• seminaked adjective
• unnaked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of naked¹

before 900; Middle English naked ( e ), Old English nacod; cognate with Dutch naakt, German nackt, Gothic naqths; akin to Old Norse nakinn, Latin nūdus, Greek gymnós, Sanskrit nagnás

Word History and Origins

Origin of naked¹

Old English nacod; related to Old High German nackot (German nackt ), Old Norse noktr, Latin nudus

Example Sentences

That is what Lord Fredrick had named them; what their original names were no one knew, since they had been found wandering naked and howling in the forest.

Read more on Literature

He says that some of the photographs showed the female partially or fully naked.

Read more on BBC

“I was then left in the cell naked, bloodied, and completely humiliated,” Mendoza said in his statement.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But the opposite, reflective face bears an image incised in finely engraved lines that under normal conditions is virtually imperceptible to the naked eye.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“I mean, I had sock garters on and a pair of candy-cane underwear, so you really can’t get much more naked than that without changing the movie title. I had an absolute blast.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bare 
• defenseless 
• exposed 
• helpless 
• nude