Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having the legs uncovered by clothing: Describes a person or being whose legs are not covered by any garments such as pants, stockings, or long skirts.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The barelegged children ran through the sprinklers.
  • She felt the cool grass on her barelegged feet as she walked.
  • It was a hot day, so many people were barelegged in shorts.

Advanced Usage

• Descriptive Use: Often used to emphasize a state of casualness, informality, or exposure to the elements.
  • The model posed barelegged for the summer fashion shoot.
• Comparative/Contrastive Use: Can be used to highlight a difference from a clothed state.
  • After the hike, they switched from long pants to being barelegged to cool down.

Variants and Related Words

• Barefoot (adj./adv.): Having the feet uncovered. While "barelegged" refers to the legs, "barefoot" specifically refers to the feet.
  • He walked barefoot on the warm sand.
• Bare-armed (adj.): Having the arms uncovered. This follows a similar compound structure.
  • The dancers were bare-armed in their costumes.

Synonyms

• Legs exposed: A more descriptive phrase with a similar meaning.
• Uncovered legs: A straightforward synonym.

Notes on Usage

• Compound Word: "Barelegged" is a closed compound adjective formed from "bare" + "legged." It is typically written as one word without a hyphen in modern English.
• Context: It is most commonly used in descriptive writing or casual speech to paint a visual picture. It is less common in highly formal writing.

Adjective

1. having the legs uncovered by clothing
   • barelegged children on the beach