thinness
/ˈθɪnnəs
/noun [mass noun]
1The state or quality of having opposite surfaces or sides close together: the thinness of the paper the thinness of the walls figurative the thinness of the line between tolerance and blackmail...
- The stuffing beneath the worn velvet seat cover sighed to wafer thinness under her negligible weight.
- Despite its thinness, the film provides thermal properties normally associated with more massive building components.
- The tablet has been a design classic since its launch and pictures don't really capture its incredible thinness and lightness.
1.1The quality of being made of light material: the thinness of the clothes...
- The show makes it clear that the chief attraction of any fairy in any painting of the times is the thinness of the fabric she wears.
- The thinness of the blanket reminded me instantly that I was not at home.
- Looking at the thinness of the flags, we figured that the grommets would pull out pretty quickly.
2The state or quality of having little, or too little, flesh or fat on the body: the pitiful thinness of his body society’s dangerous emphasis on thinness...
- They can be beautiful in their obesity or their thinness.
- There's nothing pretty about his thinness any more; he's a walking bruise with bones sticking out all over.
- They believe thinness will make them a more perfect person.
3The state of having few parts or people relative to the area covered or filled: the thinness of the population the thinness of my hair...
- Their last two albums have been so bloated that the relative thinness here is welcome.
- It all helps her believe that despite the thinness of professional weavers on the ground, the craft is still very much alive.
- She has several times recently called attention to the thinness of my hair at the top of my head.
3.1The quality of air containing less oxygen than normal: the thinness of the atmosphere at such extreme altitudes...
- The reduced noise will result not only from the distance of the aircraft above the ground but from the thinness of the atmosphere at such extreme altitudes.
- Cross-country skiing in the mountains presents some special challenges, starting with the thinness of the air.
- He will have to spend hours before his leap inhaling pure oxygen to dispel any traces of nitrogen from his blood due to the thinness of the air at 40,000 m.
4The quality of a liquid substance not containing much solid: the thinness of the paint the relative thinness of water compared with silicone gel...
- The resulting effect of bumpy frosted glass or textured clear plastic belies the thinness of the paint that creates the illusion.
- Respiratory criteria, such as spontaneous respiratory rate, thinness of secretions, and cough and swallow reflexes, were evaluated.
- Another sign that the desert scenes were painted quickly is the thinness of the paint.
5Lack of substance or quality; weakness: there’s enough action to camouflage the thinness of the plot the thinness of the evidence...
- Online, the thinness of the connection permits us to take social liberties that in a real-world, embodied meeting we would not.
- They point out the thinness of the explanation.
- The play received such a gutsy performance by a terrific cast that its feeling of thinness momentarily faded.