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

Examples of lithe in a Sentence

the lithe body of a dancer the lithe blade of a fencing foil
Recent Examples on the Web But John Wilkes was the most beautiful of the Booths, the handsomest man in all America, it was said: lithe and feline, with dark Fauntleroy curls and a leading-man mustache. Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 Brown is a stunning dancer — tall, lithe and muscular — with a decent singing voice. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2024 The body Like anyone else who remains so lean, lithe and toned in their fifties, Aniston works hard to achieve that body. Hannah Coates, Vogue, 11 Feb. 2024 There lives Edward’s decrepit mother, Amelia (Anabela Moreira), and his lithe, long-haired twin brother, Manuel (also Cotta, sporting a cryptic smile). J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 28 Feb. 2024 Lowering the draft age, for example, would bring more lithe, healthy soldiers to the fight, but poses long-term risks for sustaining Ukraine’s future population given the country’s demographics. Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2024 But here comes a lithe, 64-year-old brunette sporting a black backless unitard. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 14 Sep. 2023 The group’s original emblem — a teal silhouette of a lithe dancer mid-leap — did not help. Maria Cramer, New York Times, 4 Jan. 2024 As rush-hour traffic bunches up, our lithe Ténéré 700 again slices through gridlock between lanes, showing the advantage of a slim, efficient motorcycle as urban transportation. Bill Roberson, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lithe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of lithe was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lithe

Cite this Entry

“Lithe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lithe. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lithe

adjective
1
: easily bent : flexible
long lithe stems
2
: light and graceful in movement
lithe dancers
lithely adverb
litheness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lithe

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