Bowlegged

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Having a condition where the legs curve outward away from the body at the knees while the feet remain close together
2. Describing an anatomical feature characterized by knees that do not align, leading to outwardly angled legs that can influence walking style
3. Exhibiting a physical trait where the lower limbs bend outward at the knees while maintaining proximity of the feet is indicative of a particular gait

Etymology: "Bowlegged" is a compound of "bow" and "legged," describing legs that curve outward at the knee so that a gap opens between them when the ankles are together. The first element is the familiar word for a curved piece of wood or a bent weapon, the same shape the legs take on. "Legged," meaning "having legs" of a certain kind, is built from "leg" with the suffix "-ed," a pattern English uses for adjectives like "long-legged" and "wooden-legged." Because the word is formed plainly from two transparent parts, its history is simple: the curve of the bow, applied to the shape of a person's legs. The spelling "bow-legged," with a hyphen, is an older and equally acceptable form of the same word.

Synonyms: knock-kneed, bow-legged

Antonyms: straight-legged