Lanky
'læŋki
Definitions
Ungracefully tall and thin; gangling.
'læŋki
Tall and thin, often with a slightly awkward appearance
He was a lanky young man with long legs.
💡 Simply: Imagine a basketball player who's really, really tall and skinny. That's lanky! Like, if you see a kid who's all arms and legs and looks like they're still growing into themselves, that's lanky. Picture a giraffe's legs, but on a person!
👶 For kids: When someone is tall and skinny, like they haven't filled out yet. Like a super long, thin stick.
More Examples
The lanky frame of the old house creaked in the wind.
She had a lanky build, perfect for playing basketball.
How It's Used
"The lanky teenager towered over his classmates."
"The lanky silhouette of the tree swayed in the wind."
From the Old English *langc*, meaning 'tall' or 'slender', related to 'long'. The 'y' suffix suggests a characteristic or quality.
The word 'lanky' has been used in English for several centuries and typically described a tall and thin person. Its meaning has remained consistent throughout its history.
Memory tip
Think of a tall, thin stalk of a plant - lanky!