leggy

[ leg-ee ]

adjective

, leg·gi·er, leg·gi·est.

1. having awkwardly long legs.
2. having long, attractively shaped legs:

   a group of tanned, leggy swimmers.

3. of, relating to, or characterized by showing the legs:

   a leggy stage show.

4. (of plants) long and thin; spindly.

leggy

/ ˈlɛɡɪ /

adjective

1. having unusually long legs
2. (of a woman) having long and shapely legs
3. (of a plant) having an unusually long and weak stem
4. (esp of a sportsperson) sluggish or fatigued; having tired legs

Derived Forms

• ˈlegginess, noun

Other Words From

• leggi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of leggy¹

First recorded in 1780–90; leg + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Conservationists at the zoo said there are less than 600 surviving wild onagers, but the birth "of the leggy youngster" could help safeguard the species from extinction.

From BBC

She hurtled through the air most weeks as Lynda Carter’s stunt double on the hit television series “Wonder Woman” and mimed Ms. Carter’s leggy lope.

From New York Times

Arsenal's players looked leggy and jaded for most of the second half and exhausted by the end.

From BBC

Yeah, Winslow is a guy who writes hard-boiled crime fiction full of leggy, tough-talking dolls and guys with $70,000 watches and short, telegraphic sentences.

From Salon

She knows how ludicrous she appears on stage in a lineup of leggy girls.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• awkward
• bony
• gawky
• lanky
• rangy
• skinny
• spindly
• tall