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slender

 - 3 dictionary results

slen⋅der

  [slen-der]
Use slender in a Sentence
–adjective, -er, -est.
1. having a circumference that is small in proportion to the height or length: a slender post.
2. thin or slight; light and graceful: slender youths.
3. small in size, amount, extent, etc.; meager: a slender income.
4. having little value, force, or justification: slender prospects.
5. thin or weak, as sound.
Origin:
1300–50; ME slendre, sclendre < ?

Related forms:
slen⋅der⋅ly, adverb
slen⋅der⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
2. Slender, slight, slim imply a tendency toward thinness. As applied to the human body, slender implies a generally attractive and pleasing thinness: slender hands. Slight often adds the idea of frailness to that of thinness: a slight, almost fragile, figure. Slim implies a lithe or delicate thinness: a slim and athletic figure. 4. trivial, trifling. 5. fragile, feeble, fine, delicate, flimsy.

Antonyms:
2. fat, stocky.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To slender
slen·der   (slěn'dər)   
adj.   slen·der·er, slen·der·est

    1. Having little width in proportion to height or length; long and thin: a slender rod.

    2. Thin and delicate in build; gracefully slim: "She was slender as a willow shoot is slender—and equally graceful, equally erect" (Frank Norris).

  2. Small in amount or extent; meager: slender wages; a slender chance of survival.


[Middle English sclendre, slendre.]
slen'der·ly adv., slen'der·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

slender 
c.1300, probably from a Fr. source, often said to be from O.Fr. esclendre "thin, slender," which could be from O.Du. slinder, but the connections, and even the existence of these words, is doubtful. Slenderize "get slender" is from 1923.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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