leggy
adj.— «When plants did come up, they were undeniably “leggy,” meaning their central stalks were tall and spindly before their first leaves. Seedlings won’t necessarily die from being leggy, but they don’t grow up to be as healthy or strong as more solid plants.» —“Tripping the Light Fluorescent” by Kerri Conan New York Times APr. 8, 2009. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Chris in Omaha, Nebraska, asks about the use of the adjective husky to describe the boys’ clothing section in a department store. This coded term refers to clothes made for heavier fellows. Husky was originally a positive term connoting the...
The adjectives canine and feline refer to dogs and cats. But how does English address other groups of animals? Plus, cabin fever has been around much longer than the current pandemic. That restless, antsy, stir-crazy feeling goes back to the days...