tallish
/'tɔ:liʃ/
Definition
- Adjective: Somewhat tall; fairly tall but not extremely tall. Describes a person or object that is above average height, yet not definitively or remarkably tall.
Usage
- Used to describe a person, animal, or object whose height is noticeable and above the average, but not to a striking degree.
- It is a descriptive, often informal, term that softens the absolute quality of "tall."
- Typically appears before a noun or after a linking verb.
Examples
- Adjective:
- He is a tallish man, easily spotted in a crowd but not the tallest one there.
- The building was tallish, about ten stories high, and blended in with the others on the street.
- She bought a tallish vase for the long-stemmed flowers.
Advanced Usage
- Comparative and Superlative Forms: While "tallish" is already a modifier implying a degree, it can sometimes be used in comparative structures, though this is less common.
- Between the two siblings, the younger one is the tallish one. (Here, it functions descriptively rather than in a strict comparative form like "taller.")
Variants and Related Words
- Tall (adj): Of great or more than average height.
- Lanky (adj): Ungracefully thin and tall.
- Stately (adj): Having a dignified, imposing, and tall appearance.
Synonyms
- Fairly tall: Of considerable but not extreme height.
- Reasonably tall: Tall to a satisfactory or moderate degree.
- On the tall side: Inclining towards being tall.
Antonyms
- Shortish: Somewhat short.
- Petite: (For a woman) attractively small and slim.
- Stumpy: Short and thick.
Adjective
-
somewhat tall
