adjective / verb
narrow
NAIR-oh/ˈnærəʊ/
Having little width from side to side.
The narrow bench has much less seating width than its broad companion.
Etymology
Old English nearu already described something with little width, so this sense preserves the ancestor’s central meaning. Its other meanings included being constricted or limited.
In context
The Katuyaric Pass is not a road in the conventional sense. It is a steep road carved directly into the side of the mountain, a narrow scar.
More examples
- These shelves are too narrow for our dinner plates.
- The river narrows just beyond the bridge.
- The tailor narrowed the sleeves of my jacket.
Forms
narrow · narrower · narrowest · narrows · narrowed · narrowing
narrowness noun — The state of having little width.