Slender
/ˈslɛn.dər/noun
Thin, narrow, or slight in build, amount, or extent.
Did you know?Slender is related to a Germanic root meaning “slack” or “loose,” so its history is less about elegance and more about something thin, weak, or lacking substance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*slandrijaz
“slack, thin, weak, or loose”
Middle Low German / Middle Dutch
MGerm
slender
“slender, slight, thin”
Middle English
English
slendre
“slender, slight, lean”
15th Century
English
slender
“thin, small, or delicate in build or amount”
Modern English
English
slender
“thin, narrow, or slight in build, amount, or extent”
Explore more surprising origins