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bow legs
/ bəʊˈlɛɡɪd; bəʊ; bəʊˈlɛɡd /
plural noun
- a condition in which the legs curve outwards like a bow between the ankle and the thigh Also calledbandy legs
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Derived Forms
- bow-legged, adjective
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Example Sentences
He was short of his age, with rather bow-legs, and little sharp ugly eyes.
He held himself so proudly that it seemed to straighten some of the crook out of his bow legs.
It is indeed a fatal error and one which has made bow-legs common among little children.
"Them bow-legs" was a phrase into which he poured a degree of self-contempt altogether pitiful.
The bile and the bow-legs aint really there, you know; we only think so, which is just as bad as if they was there.
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About This Word
What does bow legs mean?
Bow legs is a condition in which the legs curve outward, causing the knees to point outward.
Bow legs can also refer to legs affected in this way.
The word bow in the term is a reference to the type of curve seen in a bow—the kind used to shoot arrows.
The condition can also be called bowleg or bandy legs. Someone with this condition can be described as bow-legged (or bowlegged).
Many young children appear to have bow legs, but in most cases their legs straighten as they continue to grow. However, in some cases, abnormal bowing of the legs may be caused by diseases like rickets or Blount’s disease.
Bow legs are associated with cowboys, probably due to the idea that the condition can be the result of spending too much time straddling a saddle. However, frequent horseback riding is unlikely to cause bow legs.
Example: I had bow legs when I was a young child, but my legs straightened out by the time I was four or so.
Where does bow legs come from?
The terms bow legs and bowleg have been used since at least the mid-1500s.
Many children appear to have bow legs as their legs are developing, but in most cases it does not require treatment. Bow legs isn’t the only condition that involves an abnormal curving of the legs. In the condition known as knock-knee, the legs are curved inward (resulting in knees that can knock together when walking).
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to bow legs?
- bow-legged (adjective)
What are some synonyms for bow legs?
- bowleg
- bandy legs
- bowleggedness
What are some words that share a root or word element with bow legs?
What are some words that often get used in discussing bow legs?
How is bow legs used in real life?
In everyday conversation, it’s much more common to describe someone as bow-legged than as having bow legs. However, describing someone this way may be rude or insensitive. The term bow legs is typically reserved for the medical discussion of such conditions.
Bow legs, knock knees, flat feet, intoeing, and out-toeing gaits in children are common but often cause undue… http://t.co/vO7VNqHzzV
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) July 8, 2015
I've never been on a plane
I have a birth mark on my face, I called it "angel kiss"
I had bow legs as a kid https://t.co/bUxkAYhzEz— Adams (@Recipe09) February 16, 2020
I have a thing for guys with slight bow legs. Esp cowboys.
— Zainab M. Sule (@zainabSULE) September 1, 2016
About This Word
What does bow legs mean?
Bow legs is a condition in which the legs curve outward, causing the knees to point outward.
The term can also refer to legs affected in this way.
The bow in bow legs is a reference to the type of curve seen in a bow—the kind used to shoot arrows.
Many young children appear to have bow legs, but in most cases their legs straighten as they continue to grow. However, in some cases, abnormal bowing of the legs may be caused by diseases like rickets or Blount’s disease.
The condition can also be called bowleg or bandy legs. Someone with this condition can be described as bow-legged (or bowlegged).
Bow legs are associated with cowboys, probably due to the idea that the condition can be the result of spending too much time straddling a saddle. However, frequent horseback riding is unlikely to cause bow legs.
Example: I had bow legs as a kid, but my legs straightened out by the time I was four or so.
Where does bow legs come from?
Terms like bow legs and bowleg have been used since at least the mid-1500s.
It’s common for many children to appear to have bow legs as their legs are developing, but in most cases it does not need to be treated. Bow legs isn’t the only condition that involves an abnormal curvature of the legs. The condition known as knock-knee involves the opposite situation, in which the legs are curved inward (resulting in knees that can knock together when walking).
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to bow legs?
- bow-legged (adjective)
What are some synonyms for bow legs?
- bowleg
- bandy legs
- bowleggedness
What are some words that share a root or word element with bow legs?
What are some words that often get used in discussing bow legs?
How is bow legs used in real life?
The term bow legs is typically used in the context of medical discussion of such conditions. In everyday conversation, it’s much more common to describe someone as bow-legged than as having bow legs. However, describing someone this way may be rude or insensitive.
Bow legs, knock knees, flat feet, intoeing, and out-toeing gaits in children are common but often cause undue… http://t.co/vO7VNqHzzV
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) July 8, 2015
I've never been on a plane
I have a birth mark on my face, I called it "angel kiss"
I had bow legs as a kid https://t.co/bUxkAYhzEz— Adams (@Recipe09) February 16, 2020
I have a thing for guys with slight bow legs. Esp cowboys.
— Zainab M. Sule (@zainabSULE) September 1, 2016
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