Threaden

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Made of thin, slender strands like thread, especially in an old or poetic usage
2. Constructed from fine yarn or fibres, or having the slender, fibrous look of thread
3. Describing something fashioned out of thin cord-like strands, a term now found mainly in older writing

Etymology: Threaden is simply thread with the suffix "-en" added, meaning "made of". Its earliest form appeared in Middle English as "threden" or "thredyn," used to describe things made of thread. The construction follows the same pattern as other material adjectives such as "wooden" or "golden," where "-en" attaches a substance to a noun to say what something is composed of. Because the word is so transparent, its meaning has stayed close to its origin. It describes objects literally woven or spun from thread, and it can also suggest something thin, fine, or fragile, as thread itself is.

Synonyms: slender, flimsy, thin

Antonyms: thick, robust, sturdy