emaciated
ih-MAY-shee-ay-tid
/ɪˈmeɪʃieɪtɪd/
Abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of food.
This is a much stronger word than 'thin' or 'skinny'; it implies a skeletal, haunting appearance where bones are visible.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'emaciare,' meaning 'to make lean.' The root 'macies' is also related to the word 'meager.' It suggests that the flesh has been 'taken out' of the body.
Word relationships
- skeletal: Skeletal emphasizes the visibility of bones; emaciated emphasizes the loss of flesh and muscle.
- gaunt: Gaunt usually refers to a hollow-cheeked appearance from suffering or age, while emaciated is more extreme.
- corpulent: Excessively fat or fleshy.
Commonly confused with
- slender: Slender is a positive or neutral term for being thin; emaciated is always a sign of severe distress or illness.
Word family
- emaciation (noun): The state of being abnormally thin.
Collocations
- emaciated body
- emaciated appearance
- looked emaciated
- dangerously emaciated
Example sentences
- "The emaciated prisoners were barely able to stand when the camp was finally liberated." Describing a survivor.
- "Rescuers found an emaciated dog tied to a fence, its ribs showing through its matted fur." Animal welfare report.
Memory hook
Emaciated sounds like 'Empty-ated.' The person is empty of fat and muscle. E-mac-iated: The 'meat' is gone.
When not to use
Do not use this to describe someone who is naturally slender or fit.
Fun facts
- In Victorian literature, emaciation was sometimes romanticized as a sign of spiritual purity or 'consumption' (tuberculosis).
Related words
Explore more words
destitute, impoverished, languish, decrepitude, squalor, infirmity
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