Lissome
/ˈlɪsəm/
adjectiveC2
Definition
Lissome means being able to move in a smooth and easy way, often with grace and lightness. It is usually used to describe people or animals that are slender and flexible, moving with beauty and skill.
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See It in Action
Describing a body or person that moves in a graceful, flexible way
- •The lissome gymnast performed her routine with amazing ease.
- •The dancer’s lissome movements captivated the audience.
- •The cat’s lissome body slipped silently through the room.
Describing something slender and flexible, often in a positive or artistic sense
- •The lissome branches of the willow tree swayed in the wind.
- •She wore a lissome dress that flowed with her every step.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "lissome" like "flexible" (A2 word), but with a soft, beautiful, and smooth quality—not just bending, but moving elegantly
- ✓Picture a dancer or a cat moving quietly and smoothly, their body bending easily without stiffness
- ✓It's the feeling when watching someone move with natural grace, like a ballet dancer or gymnast
- ✓Sounds like "list some" → imagine listing some soft, smooth moves one after another, flowing without stopping
- ✓Remember famous graceful dancers or animals like deer or swans that move lightly and smoothly
- ✓NOT like "stiff" (hard to move), "lissome" means easy and smooth movement
- ✓NOT like "strong" (powerful but maybe not smooth), "lissome" focuses on light and elegant movement
- ✓NOT like "clumsy" (awkward), "lissome" is the opposite: careful and beautiful movement
Try Other Words
- •Supple: bending easily and smoothly (Use when emphasizing softness and ease of bending)
- •Graceful: moving in a smooth and attractive way (Use when focusing on beauty and style of movement)
- •Nimble: quick and light in movement (Use when emphasizing speed and lightness)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: Possibly from Old English "liðe" meaning flexible or gentle + suffix "-some" meaning characterized by
- •Etymology: Originates from Old English or Middle English, related to words meaning flexible or gentle in movement
- •Historical development: Used in English since the 1500s to describe bodies or movements that are flexible and graceful
- •Modern usage: Mostly literary or poetic, describing people or animals moving with elegance and ease
Reflect & Connect
•How does being lissome affect the way a person or animal moves and is seen by others?
•Can you think of activities or sports where lissome movement is very important? Why?
Fill in the blanks
1.The dancer’s lissome movements ___ the audience with their smoothness and grace.
2.A lissome body can bend and stretch without ___ or stiffness.
3.Unlike heavy or clumsy steps, lissome motion is ___ and light.
4.The cat moved with lissome ease, ___ silently through the room.
5.To be lissome, a person must have ___ muscles and good control of their body.
6.Lissome is different from strong because it focuses on ___ and smooth movement, not power.
7.When describing a tree branch as lissome, it means the branch ___ easily in the wind.