twiggy
/'twigi/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Extremely thin and slender, resembling a twig: Describes a person, animal, or plant part that is very thin, often to the point of appearing fragile or stick-like.
- Abounding with or consisting of many small, thin branches: Describes a plant, bush, or tree that has many twigs.
Usage and Examples
- Describing a person's physique:
- After his illness, he looked pale and twiggy.
- The model had a famously twiggy frame in the 1960s.
- Describing plants or trees:
- The twiggy branches of the willow tree brushed against the water.
- We cleared the twiggy undergrowth from the path.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- The term often carries a neutral or descriptive tone in botanical contexts. When describing a person, it can be neutral, descriptive, or sometimes carry a connotation of excessive thinness, depending on context.
- It is frequently used in similes for emphasis: .
Variants and Related Words
- Twig (n): A slender woody shoot growing from a branch or stem of a tree or shrub.
- Twiglike (adj): Similar in form or appearance to a twig.
Synonyms
- Slender
- Slim
- Spindly
- Wiry (when implying thinness with strength)
Antonyms
- Stout
- Stocky
- Thick
- Bushy (in the botanical sense)
Idioms and Phrases
- Thin as a twig: An idiom meaning extremely thin.
- The stray dog was thin as a twig.