"spindly" meaning in English

See spindly in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈspɪnd.li/ [General-American, Received-Pronunciation], /ˈspɪn.də.li/ [General-American, Received-Pronunciation] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-spindly.wav [Southern-England] Forms: spindlier [comparative], spindliest [superlative]
Etymology: Etymology tree English spindle Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English spindly From spindle + -y. Etymology templates: {{ety|en|:af|spindle|-y<id:adjectival>|text=+|tree=1}} Etymology tree English spindle Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English spindly [Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Proto-Germanic", "term" : "*-gaz", "lang" : "gem-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Proto-West Germanic", "term" : "*-g", "lang" : "gmw-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Old English", "term" : "-iġ", "lang" : "ang" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Middle English", "term" : "-y", "lang" : "enm" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "-y", "lang" : "en" } ], "keyword_label" : "From", "is_group" : true, "keyword" : "affix" } ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "spindly", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "en" }" data-lang="en" data-title="spindly"> From spindle + -y. Head templates: {{en-adj|er}} spindly (comparative spindlier, superlative spindliest)
  1. Characteristic of a spindle; slender and of weak appearance. Synonyms: twiggy Derived forms: spindliness Related terms: spindle-legged, spindlelegs, spindle-shanked, spindleshanks, spindle-shaped (english: fusiform) Translations (of a spindle): вретеновиден (vretenoviden) (Bulgarian), wrzecionowaty (Polish), ahusado (Spanish) Translations (slender and of weak appearance): grêle (French), frêle (French), dürr (German), patykowaty (Polish), wiotki (Polish), flacucho (Spanish)

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "spindle",
        "4": "-y<id:adjectival>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish spindle\nProto-Indo-European *-kos\nProto-Germanic *-gaz\nProto-West Germanic *-g\nOld English -iġ\nMiddle English -y\nEnglish -y\nEnglish spindly\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-gaz\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-g\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-iġ\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"spindly\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"spindly\">\nFrom spindle + -y.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nEnglish spindle\nProto-Indo-European *-kos\nProto-Germanic *-gaz\nProto-West Germanic *-g\nOld English -iġ\nMiddle English -y\nEnglish -y\nEnglish spindly\nFrom spindle + -y.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "spindlier",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "spindliest",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "er"
      },
      "expansion": "spindly (comparative spindlier, superlative spindliest)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries referencing missing etymons",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymology texts",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -y (adjectival)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "spindliness"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Near-synonym: twiggy"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              8,
              15
            ]
          ],
          "text": "She has spindly legs.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Characteristic of a spindle; slender and of weak appearance."
      ],
      "id": "en-spindly-en-adj-aa5Af2W0",
      "links": [
        [
          "spindle",
          "spindle"
        ],
        [
          "slender",
          "slender"
        ],
        [
          "weak",
          "weak"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "spindle-legged"
        },
        {
          "word": "spindlelegs"
        },
        {
          "word": "spindle-shanked"
        },
        {
          "word": "spindleshanks"
        },
        {
          "english": "fusiform",
          "translation": "fusiform",
          "word": "spindle-shaped"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "twiggy"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "lang_code": "bg",
          "roman": "vretenoviden",
          "sense": "of a spindle",
          "word": "вретеновиден"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "lang_code": "pl",
          "sense": "of a spindle",
          "word": "wrzecionowaty"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "of a spindle",
          "word": "ahusado"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "lang_code": "fr",
          "sense": "slender and of weak appearance",
          "word": "grêle"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "lang_code": "fr",
          "sense": "slender and of weak appearance",
          "word": "frêle"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "slender and of weak appearance",
          "word": "dürr"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "lang_code": "pl",
          "sense": "slender and of weak appearance",
          "word": "patykowaty"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "lang_code": "pl",
          "sense": "slender and of weak appearance",
          "word": "wiotki"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "slender and of weak appearance",
          "word": "flacucho"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈspɪnd.li/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American",
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈspɪn.də.li/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American",
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-spindly.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c1/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-spindly.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-spindly.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c1/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-spindly.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-spindly.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "spindly"
}
{
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "spindliness"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "spindle",
        "4": "-y<id:adjectival>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish spindle\nProto-Indo-European *-kos\nProto-Germanic *-gaz\nProto-West Germanic *-g\nOld English -iġ\nMiddle English -y\nEnglish -y\nEnglish spindly\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-gaz\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-g\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-iġ\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"spindly\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"spindly\">\nFrom spindle + -y.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nEnglish spindle\nProto-Indo-European *-kos\nProto-Germanic *-gaz\nProto-West Germanic *-g\nOld English -iġ\nMiddle English -y\nEnglish -y\nEnglish spindly\nFrom spindle + -y.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "spindlier",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "spindliest",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "er"
      },
      "expansion": "spindly (comparative spindlier, superlative spindliest)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "spindle-legged"
    },
    {
      "word": "spindlelegs"
    },
    {
      "word": "spindle-shanked"
    },
    {
      "word": "spindleshanks"
    },
    {
      "english": "fusiform",
      "translation": "fusiform",
      "word": "spindle-shaped"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English adjectives",
        "English entries referencing missing etymons",
        "English entries with etymology texts",
        "English entries with etymology trees",
        "English entries with etymon",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English lemmas",
        "English terms suffixed with -y (adjectival)",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "Entries with translation boxes",
        "Pages using etymon with no ID",
        "Pages with 1 entry",
        "Pages with entries",
        "Pages with etymology trees",
        "Pages with etymon",
        "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
        "Terms with French translations",
        "Terms with German translations",
        "Terms with Polish translations",
        "Terms with Spanish translations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Near-synonym: twiggy"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              8,
              15
            ]
          ],
          "text": "She has spindly legs.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Characteristic of a spindle; slender and of weak appearance."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "spindle",
          "spindle"
        ],
        [
          "slender",
          "slender"
        ],
        [
          "weak",
          "weak"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "twiggy"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈspɪnd.li/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American",
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈspɪn.də.li/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American",
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-spindly.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c1/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-spindly.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-spindly.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c1/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-spindly.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-spindly.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "lang_code": "bg",
      "roman": "vretenoviden",
      "sense": "of a spindle",
      "word": "вретеновиден"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "lang_code": "pl",
      "sense": "of a spindle",
      "word": "wrzecionowaty"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "of a spindle",
      "word": "ahusado"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "lang_code": "fr",
      "sense": "slender and of weak appearance",
      "word": "grêle"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "lang_code": "fr",
      "sense": "slender and of weak appearance",
      "word": "frêle"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "slender and of weak appearance",
      "word": "dürr"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "lang_code": "pl",
      "sense": "slender and of weak appearance",
      "word": "patykowaty"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "lang_code": "pl",
      "sense": "slender and of weak appearance",
      "word": "wiotki"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "slender and of weak appearance",
      "word": "flacucho"
    }
  ],
  "word": "spindly"
}

Download raw JSONL data for spindly meaning in English (4.8kB)

{
  "called_from": "page/2530",
  "msg": "skipping string in the middle of translations: </table></div></div>\n\n",
  "path": [
    "spindly"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "adjective",
  "title": "spindly",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-09-20 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-09-02 using wiktextract (d6fca27 and 65e1673). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.