Standard Lemma guide

lanky

adj · name · noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈlæŋk.i/ without æ-raising
  • [ˈlæŋk.ɪi̯] without æ-raising
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, US: /ˈleɪ̯ŋki/
  • Canada, US: [ˈleɪ̯ŋkɪi̯]
  • Canada, US: /ˈlɛ̃ŋki/
  • Canada, US: [ˈlɛ̃ŋkɪi̯]
  • rhymes with -æŋki
  • CMU ARPABET: L AE1 NG K IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Tall, slim, and rather ungraceful or awkward.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory, informal

Examples

  • tall and lanky
  • awkwardly lanky
  • long, lanky frame
  • The lanky teenager towered over his classmates.
  • A lanky cat slinked across the alley.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

From Lancashire or having distinctive Lancashire traits.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

name

Meaning 3

The dialect of English spoken in Lancashire.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

name

Meaning 4

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: colloquial, historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Someone from Lancashire.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

tall and thin

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gangling, gangly

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

tall and thin and having long slender limbs

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a gangling teenager
  • a lanky kid transformed almost overnight into a handsome young man

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gangling, gangly, rangy

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From lank + -y.

Clipping of Lancashire with -y.

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Central Bikol: wakoy-wakoy — tall, slim
  • Cebuano: balaghoy — tall, slim
  • Cebuano: gangkaw — tall, slim
  • Cebuano: lagsaw — tall, slim
  • Cebuano: mantiw — tall, slim
  • Cebuano: tikling — tall, slim
  • Cebuano: waklay — tall, slim
  • Cebuano: yagkaw — tall, slim
  • Czech: vytáhlý — tall, slim
  • Dutch: dun — tall, slim
  • Dutch: slungelig — tall, slim
  • Estonian: kiitsakas — tall, slim
  • Estonian: vilajas — tall, slim
  • Finnish: hontelo — tall, slim
  • French: dégingandé — tall, slim
  • German: schlaksig — tall, slim
  • Greek: ψηλόλιγνος (psilólignos) — tall, slim
  • Hungarian: nyurga — tall, slim
  • Irish: caol ard — tall, slim
  • Irish: fada caol — tall, slim
  • Irish: scrogallach — tall, slim
  • Irish: scailleagánta — tall, slim
  • Italian: allampanato — tall, slim
  • Māori: pākokekoke — tall, slim
  • Māori: tokoroa — tall, slim
  • Māori: pakikoke — tall, slim
  • Norman: lîndget — tall, slim
  • Norwegian Bokmål: hengslete — tall, slim
  • Norwegian Bokmål: slåpen — tall, slim
  • Portuguese: esguio — tall, slim
  • Russian: долговязый (dolgovjazyj) — tall, slim
  • Russian: дли́нный (dlínnyj) — tall, slim
  • Scottish Gaelic: caol — tall, slim
  • Scottish Gaelic: seang — tall, slim
  • Spanish: larguirucho — tall, slim
  • Swedish: gänglig — tall, slim
  • Swedish: ranglig — tall, slim