thinner

¹ American  

[thin-er] / ˈθɪn ər /

noun

1. a volatile liquid, as turpentine, used to dilute paint, varnish, rubber cement, etc., to the desired or proper consistency.

2. a person who adds thinners to paints, varnishes, etc.

3. a person who specializes in weeding plants, pruning shrubbery, thinning fruit, etc.

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thinner ² American  

[thin-er] / ˈθɪn ər /

adjective

1. comparative of thin.

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thinner British  

/ ˈθɪnə /

noun

1. (often plural, functioning as singular) a solvent, such as turpentine, added to paint or varnish to dilute it, reduce its opacity or viscosity, or increase its penetration into the ground

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Etymology

Origin of thinner

First recorded in 1825–35; thin + -er ¹

Example Sentences

These ultra-thin structures, about 100 times thinner than a human hair, are even more conductive than their flat counterparts and could significantly improve technologies such as energy storage devices, biosensors, and wearable electronics.

From Science Daily

Although the data showed the device wasn’t inferior to blood thinners, a slightly higher proportion of users had an ischemic stroke compared with those treated with blood thinners.

From Barron's

And, because the system would have double the voltage—800V—the wiring loom can use thinner, lighter wire.

From The Wall Street Journal

"For one reason or another, we don't see evidence of grounded ridges where they had been forming, and that's the outcome you would expect if the ice is getting thinner."

From Science Daily

He looked thinner than in his prior court appearance, but grinned enthusiastically as he shook his lawyers’ hands.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• delicate
• fragile
• gaunt
• lean
• meager
• narrow
• skinny
• slim
• small