Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

lanky

/ˈleɪ̯ŋki/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.73 in modern English

Syllables: lank-y
IPA: /ˈleɪ̯ŋki/

12

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Tall, slim, and rather ungraceful or awkward.

Derogatory; Informal

name

The dialect of English spoken in Lancashire.

name

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.

Colloquial

noun

Someone from Lancashire.

adj

From Lancashire or having distinctive Lancashire traits.

Example Sentences

"tall and lanky"
"awkwardly lanky"
"long, lanky frame"
"The lanky teenager towered over his classmates."
"A lanky cat slinked across the alley."
"The rest of us , whether we spoke Lanky or Urdu, whether we were born in Karachi or Keighley, could go to hell."

Etymology

From lank + -y.

Word Breakdown

Prefix: -y

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈleɪ̯ŋki/

Usage

Inflected Forms

lankier (comparative) lankiest (superlative) Lankies (plural)

Derived Forms

lankily lankiness

Synonyms

gangly gangling rangy

Rhymes With

frankie yankee cranky sankey hanky hankey francie yankey swanky spanky skanky janky

Questions

How do you pronounce lanky?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈleɪ̯ŋki/.
What does lanky mean?: Tall, slim, and rather ungraceful or awkward.
Where does lanky come from?: From lank + -y.

How to pronounce lanky

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “lanky”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈleɪ̯ŋki/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “lanky”.
Repeat and practice — Say “lanky” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.