slender
/ˈslɛndə
/adjective (slenderer, slenderest)
1(Of a person or part of the body) gracefully thin: her slender neck...
- This feline image was enhanced by her painted nails and thin slender body.
- Her slender body seemed thinner then before and she had wrinkles on her skin.
- Her slender body glided gracefully, never once bending the weakened branches.
Synonyms
slim, lean, willowy, sylphlike, svelte, lissom, graceful, snake-hipped, rangy;
slight, slightly built, delicate;
thin, skinny, size-zero, spare, attenuated, lanky, spindly
rare gracile, attenuate
1.1(Especially of a rod or stem) of small girth or breadth: slender iron railings...
- Sibling growth units in equivalent positions tended to have a more slender stem for N. dombeyi than for N. pumilio.
- He reaches over and picks up the slender rod he plans to use to simulate a rapier.
- What gives it panache is the way the flower teeters on its ridiculously long, slender stem.
2(Of something abstract) barely sufficient in amount or basis: people of slender means a slender majority of four...
- By a slender majority of four to three, the High Court bought the argument.
- This may seem a somewhat slender basis for distinguishing this type of reference from a mere promise to negotiate.
- The US House of Congress, which holds a slender Republican majority, will decide which slate of electors to accept.
Synonyms
meagre, limited, slight, modest, scanty, scant, sparse, small, little, paltry, inconsiderable, insubstantial, inadequate, insufficient, deficient, negligible, trifling
rare exiguous
Derivatives
slenderly
- He examined his flat, slenderly muscled stomach, noted the distinct absence of red and green from his wardrobe, and scowled smugly.
- She stepped back and crouched so her face was slenderly below his.
- She turned around to reveal a large gash and a piece of metal imbedded into the flesh slenderly behind her right shoulder blade.
slenderness
/ noun ...- It is a very attractive building and its slenderness and elegance will make it a very well-known structure in Dublin.
- The slenderness of City's advantage meant the final whistle, when it finally came, was greeted with relief and applause in equal measure.
- But given the slenderness of the plot, the result is so broad it's immediately shrill.
Origin
Late Middle English: of unknown origin.