Need another word for Gaunt? Use these synonyms of Gaunt from our thesaurus to say it differently.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Meaning of Gaunt
The primary meaning of the word "Gaunt" is to describe someone or something that is unhealthily thin.
Definitions
- Oxford Languages defines "gaunt" as looking very thin and ill, often because of lack of food, illness, or suffering.
- It can also describe something that is bare and unattractive, such as a gaunt landscape.
Etymology of Gaunt
The word "gaunt" has its roots in Old French "gaunt" which is derived from the Germanic word "walthiz" meaning foreign.
Historically, the term was used to describe something or someone that appeared bare, bleak, or unattractive, and over time, its meaning expanded to include the description of someone who is unhealthily thin.
Example Uses
- The gaunt figure of the old man haunted the empty streets.
- Years of famine had left the landscape gaunt and barren.
- The gaunt face stared back at her from the mirror, a testament to her illness.