lithe

adjective

ˈlīt͟h  ˈlīth 

1

: easily bent or flexed

lithe steel

a lithe vine

2

: characterized by easy flexibility and grace

a lithe dancer

treading with a lithe silent step

also : athletically slim

the most lithe and graspable of waists

—R. P. Warren

lithely adverb

litheness noun

Synonyms

• bendy [chiefly British]
• flexible
• limber
• lissome
• lissom
• lithesome
• pliable
• pliant
• supple
• willowy

Examples of lithe in a Sentence

the lithe body of a dancer

the lithe blade of a fencing foil

Recent Examples on the Web

All of them are lithe, with a classic shark profile, and hunt small fish like mullet. —Erik Vance, New York Times, 26 July 2024

Using the 16-Inch MacBook Pro: The Most Specialized MacBook Primarily a desktop replacement or workstation, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is surprisingly dense if you’re otherwise used to tossing around a lithe MacBook Air. —PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024

English Meaning: Man of peace, slim, lithe, slender Famous Namesakes: Slim Whitman Peak Popularity: This name has not appeared on the Social Security list of popular baby names.2 Whimsy Lou Smith Whimsy Lou, the youngest Smith child, was born in April 2024. —Kara Nesvig, Parents, 1 Nov. 2024

Consider the Dodgers’ lithe, versatile slugger Mookie Betts, who repairs to quiet inner-stadium rooms to focus. —Nicholas Dawidoff, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English līthe gentle; akin to Old High German lindi gentle, Latin lentus slow

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

lithe

adjective

ˈlīt͟h  ˈlīth 

1

: easily bent : flexible

long lithe stems

2

: light and graceful in movement

lithe dancers

lithely adverb

litheness noun