thin

A2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /θɪn/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like sin /θ/ vs /s/ Sounds like tin /θ/ vs /t/

Freq #2714

Meanings

1

adj
Having a small distance between opposite surfaces; not thick.

I used a thin wire to tie the parts together.
2

adj
Having little fat on the body; slim.

He looked thin and tired after his illness.
3

adj
Watery in consistency; not thick.

The soup was thin and tasteless.
4

adj
Not growing closely together; sparse.

His hair was getting thin on top.
5

adj
Weak or unconvincing; lacking substance.

His excuse for being late sounded rather thin.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 adj · having little fat on the... lean slim

4 adj · not growing closely... sparse

5 adj · weak or unconvincing;... flimsy weak

More diffuse narrow runny scrawny skinny slendersveltewaifishwatery

Opposites

thick

Word family

Forms thinnedthinnerthinnestthinningthins

Derived forms gossamer-thinpaper-thinpencil-thinrail-thinrazor-thinstick-thinthin-bladedthin-filmthin-skinnedthin-skinnednessthin-slicethin-slicing

Related forms thinness

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

thin ice
ice that is not thick enough to be safe to walk or skate on

Adjective + noun

Idioms (5)

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into thin air
Away so completely and suddenly that no trace or explanation remains.
on thin ice
in a risky position where one mistake could cause trouble
out of thin air
to seem to materialize suddenly without any apparent origin
through thick and thin
Remaining loyal and supportive during both good times and serious difficulties.
spread yourself too thin
to try to do so many things that you do none of them well

Proverbs (3)

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Simplified etymology

Thin is inherited from Old English and shares an ancient root with Latin tenuis, meaning “thin, fine, shallow.”

Etymology

From Middle English thinne, thünne, thenne, from Old English þynne, from Proto-West Germanic *þunnī, from Proto-Germanic *þunnuz (“thin”) – compare *þanjaną (“to stretch, spread out”) – from Proto-Indo-European *ténh₂us (“thin”), from *ten- (“to stretch”). Cognate with German dünn, Dutch dun, West Frisian tin, Icelandic þunnur, Danish tynd, Swedish tunn, Latin tenuis, Irish tanaí, Welsh tenau, Latvian tievs, Polish cienki, Russian тонкий (tonkij), Sanskrit तनु (tanú, “thin”), Persian تنگ (tang, “narrow”). Doublet of tenuis. Also related to tenuous.

thinne Middle English þynne Old English *þunnī Proto-West Germanic *þunnuz Proto-Germanic *ténh₂us Proto-Indo-European

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Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# thin

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /θɪn/
**Frequency rank:** 2714

## Meanings
1. Having a small distance between opposite surfaces; not thick.
2. Having little fat on the body; slim.
3. Watery in consistency; not thick.
4. Not growing closely together; sparse.
5. Weak or unconvincing; lacking substance.

## Examples
- I used a thin wire to tie the parts together.
- He looked thin and tired after his illness.
- The soup was thin and tasteless.
- His hair was getting thin on top.
- His excuse for being late sounded rather thin.

## Synonyms
- diffuse
- narrow
- runny
- scrawny
- skinny
- slender
- slim
- sparse
- svelte
- waifish
- watery

## Antonyms
- thick

## Derived Forms
- gossamer-thin
- paper-thin
- pencil-thin
- rail-thin
- razor-thin
- stick-thin
- thin-bladed
- thin-film
- thin-skinned
- thin-skinnedness
- thin-slice
- thin-slicing

## Related Forms
- thinness

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: thinne
- Root: þynne
- Root: *þunnī
- Root: *þunnuz
- Root: *ténh₂us

## Etymology
From Middle English thinne, thünne, thenne, from Old English þynne, from Proto-West Germanic *þunnī, from Proto-Germanic *þunnuz (“thin”) – compare *þanjaną (“to stretch, spread out”) – from Proto-Indo-European *ténh₂us (“thin”), from *ten- (“to stretch”). Cognate with German dünn, Dutch dun, West Frisian tin, Icelandic þunnur, Danish tynd, Swedish tunn, Latin tenuis, Irish tanaí, Welsh tenau, Latvian tievs, Polish cienki, Russian тонкий (tonkij), Sanskrit तनु (tanú, “thin”), Persian تنگ (tang, “narrow”). Doublet of tenuis. Also related to tenuous.

## AI Etymology
Thin is from Middle English thinne, thünne, thenne, from Old English þynne, from Proto-West Germanic *þunnī, from Proto-Germanic *þunnuz (“thin”) – compare *þanjaną (“to stretch, spread out”) – from Proto-Indo-European *ténh₂us (“thin”), from *ten- (“to stretch”). Cognate with German dünn, Dutch dun, West Frisian tin, Icelandic þunnur, Danish tynd, Swedish tunn, Latin tenuis, Irish tanaí, Welsh tenau, Latvian tievs, Polish cienki, Russian тонкий (tonkij), Sanskrit तनु (tanú, “thin”), Persian تنگ (tang, “narrow”). Doublet of tenuis. Also related to tenuous.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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thin

Meanings

Thesaurus

Appears in

Phrases (1)

Idioms (5)

Proverbs (3)

Simplified etymology

Etymology

Topics

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