bow-legged
UK[ˈbəʊ ˌleɡɪd]US[ˈboʊ ˌleɡɪd]
adj
Having legs that curve outward at the knees.
Morpheme Breakdown
bow
leg
ed
bow
curve
leg
limb
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
The term "bow-legged" is a transparent English compound adjective. Its first element, "bow," draws from the ancient concept of bending, traceable to Proto-Germanic beuganą and ultimately Proto-Indo-European bʰewgʰ- (to bend). The second element, "leg," originates from Old Norse, entering Middle English. The compound literally describes legs that have the curved shape of an archer's bow, a direct and vivid metaphorical description of the physical condition. The suffix "-ed" is the standard Germanic adjectival formant, completing the word to mean "having bent legs."
Analysis
Structure: bow (curve) + leg (limb) + ed (adjective suffix)
- bow: From Old English 'būgan' (to bend). A Germanic root. In this compound, it functions as a descriptive element meaning "curved" or "bent."
- leg: From Old Norse 'leggr' (limb, bone of the leg). A Germanic root. It functions as the core noun, specifying the body part.
- ed: From Old English '-ede', an adjectival suffix used to form adjectives from nouns, indicating "having the quality of."
Examples
The old cowboy walked with a distinctive, bow-legged gait.
Some toddlers appear slightly bow-legged as they learn to walk, but it often corrects itself.
The condition, medically known as genu varum, is commonly referred to as being bow-legged.