Wirelike

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Having a slender and elongated shape resembling a thread of metal
2. Exhibiting characteristics of being thin and rigid in form, much like a wire strand
3. Characterized by a narrow, threadlike appearance similar to a fine metal wire

Etymology: "Wirelike" is about as transparent as English compounds get: it joins "wire," a thin drawn strand of metal, to the suffix "-like," meaning "resembling or having the qualities of." The result describes something that looks or behaves like a length of wire, typically slender, elongated and metallic in appearance. The interest lies mainly in how the parts combine. "Wire" itself comes from Old English "wir," which originally referred to metal drawn out into a thread, and "-like" is the productive Germanic suffix that has been attached to nouns since Old English times to form adjectives of resemblance. Joining the two gives a descriptive term that can be applied to anything from a thin filament to a slender insect leg.

Synonyms: thin, slender

Antonyms: thick, bulky