rickety

[ rik-i-tee ]

adjective

, rick·et·i·er, rick·et·i·est.

1. likely to fall or collapse; shaky:

   a rickety chair.

2. feeble in the joints; tottering; infirm:

   a rickety old man.

   Synonyms: wobbly, unsteady, frail, decrepit

3. old, dilapidated, or in disrepair.
4. irregular, as motion or action.
5. affected with or having rickets.
6. relating to or of the nature of rickets.

rickety

/ ˈrɪkɪtɪ /

adjective

1. (of a structure, piece of furniture, etc) likely to collapse or break; shaky
2. feeble with age or illness; infirm
3. relating to, resembling, or afflicted with rickets

Derived Forms

• ˈricketiness, noun

Other Words From

• rick·et·i·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rickety¹

First recorded in 1675–85; ricket(s) + -y ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of rickety¹

C17: from rickets

Example Sentences

For this grave sin of daring to challenge a rickety 18th-century system of electing people to elect the president, the Harris campaign chastised Walz.

From Slate

Huffing and puffing uphill on a rickety old bike towards the job centre.

From BBC

There is a further £1.1bn a year to help improve the energy efficiency of the UK’s rickety homes.

From BBC

He made his way to the Tunisian coast, where smugglers move thousands of migrants from northern Africa to Europe on rickety boats.

From Seattle Times

He made his way to the Tunisian coast, where smugglers move thousands of migrants from northern Africa to Europe on rickety boats.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• broken
• decrepit
• derelict
• dilapidated
• flimsy
• ramshackle
• shaky
• wobbly