First Known Use: 1833
Dictionary
scrawny
adjective scraw·ny \ˈskrȯ-nē\
: very thin in a way that is not attractive or healthy
scraw·ni·erscraw·ni·est
Full Definition of SCRAWNY
: exceptionally thin and slight or meager in body or size <scrawny scrub cattle>
— scraw·ni·ness noun
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Origin of SCRAWNY
origin unknown
Synonym Discussion of SCRAWNY
lean, spare, lank, lanky, gaunt, rawboned, scrawny, skinny mean thin because of an absence of excess flesh. lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours <a lean racehorse>. spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise <the gymnast's spare figure>. lank implies tallness as well as leanness <the lank legs of the heron>. lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness <a lanky youth, all arms and legs>. gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering <a prisoner's gaunt face>. rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment <a rawboned farmer>. scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality <a scrawny chicken> <skinny street urchins>.
SCRAWNY Defined for Kids
scrawny
adjective scraw·ny \ˈskrȯ-nē\
scraw·ni·erscraw·ni·est
Definition of SCRAWNY for Kids
: poorly nourished : skinny <a scrawny cat>
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