skinny
UK[ˈskɪni]US[ˈskɪni]
adj
(of a person or part of their body) very thin, often in a way that is unattractive or unhealthy
adj
(of an item of clothing) very tight-fitting
Morpheme Breakdown
skin
y
skin
outer covering
y
adjective-forming suffix
Etymology
The word 'skinny' is a straightforward English formation. Its first element, 'skin', derives from Old Norse, which replaced the native Old English word 'hyd' (hide) to become the standard term for the body's outer covering. The adjectival suffix '-y' was attached to create a word literally meaning "like skin" or "of skin." Over time, this literal sense evolved into the modern meaning of "very thin," suggesting a person is so lean that their skin appears tightly drawn over their bones, with little flesh or fat beneath.
Analysis
Structure: skin (outer covering) + y (adjective-forming suffix)
'skin' originates from Old Norse 'skinn' (animal hide, pelt). 'y' is a native English suffix from Old English '-ig', used to form adjectives meaning "having the quality of" or "full of."
Examples
He became very skinny after his long illness.
She prefers skinny jeans over loose-fitting trousers.
The model was criticized for promoting an unhealthily skinny body image.