svelte

adjective

ˈsvelt How to pronounce svelte (audio)
ˈsfelt
svelter; sveltest
1
a
b
: having clean lines : sleek
2
sveltely adverb
svelteness noun

Did you know?

In Death on the Rocks, a 2013 mystery novel by Deryn Lake, the hero John Rawlings is described as having “svelte eyebrows” (he raises them also in 1995’s Death at the Beggar’s Opera). Lake’s oeuvre notwithstanding, svelte is not an adjective commonly applied to eyebrows, though it’s perfectly appropriate to do so—one of the word’s meanings is “sleek,” and it is often used to describe such disparate things as gowns and sports cars having clean lines. But “svelte eyebrows” also makes etymological sense; svelte came to English (by way of French) from the Italian adjective svelto, which itself comes from the verb svellere, meaning “to pluck out.” Since its debut in English in the early 19th century, however, svelte has more often been used with its original meaning to describe a person’s body—not just the tufts of hair above their eyes—as slender, graceful, or lithe.

Examples of svelte in a Sentence

She has a svelte figure. the svelte dancer seemed to float across the stage
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ekster This super svelte smart wallet is durable and provides easy and swift access to your cards, thanks to a trigger button that pops them out of the top. Simon Hill, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2024 From an accessibility standpoint, the moral of this story is simple: no matter how svelte the iPad mini’s form is, the display is its most important attribute for someone with low vision. Steven Aquino, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 Perhaps the least anticipated among them is this, the fifth generation of Apple’s svelte, low-cost Mac Mini. Christopher Null, WIRED, 9 Dec. 2020 Gomez is set to make a guest appearance in the television series, which stars Henrie, who wore a navy blazer and trousers, pairing squeaky white trainers with his svelte outfit. Violet Goldstone, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019 See all Example Sentences for svelte 

Word History

Etymology

French, from Italian svelto, from past participle of svellere to pluck out, modification of Latin evellere, from e- + vellere to pluck — more at vulnerable

First Known Use

circa 1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of svelte was circa 1817

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Dictionary Entries Near svelte

Cite this Entry

“Svelte.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/svelte. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

svelte

adjective
: slender and graceful in form
sveltely adverb
svelteness noun
Etymology

from French svelte "slender, sleek," from Italian svelto (same meaning), derived from svellere "to pluck out," derived from Latin evellere "to pluck"

More from Merriam-Webster on svelte

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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