adjective
svelte
SVELT/svelt/
Attractively slender and graceful in appearance.
The svelte man steps gracefully in an impeccably fitted suit.
Etymology
The pieces convey pulling or stretching out. The intermediate meaning “pulled out, lengthened” became “slim, slender,” supplying the elongated silhouette behind the modern description of graceful slimness.
In context
… it emerges looking as svelte as ever.
More examples
- That tailored jacket makes him look especially svelte.
- The cat has a svelte body and long legs.
- Her new dress gives her a svelter silhouette.
Forms
svelte · svelter · sveltest
svelteness noun — The quality of being slender and graceful.