Spanish word

flaco

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈflako/

Meaning

  • adjectivethin

Example

Mi hermano está flaco.

My brother is thin.

Illustration for flaco (thin)

More examples

Después de la enfermedad, quedó flaco.

After the illness, he was left thin.

Core concept

Lean body with little fat or muscle.

Common phrases

  • estar flaco

    be thin

  • muy flaco

    very thin

  • parecer flaco

    look thin

Similar words

delgado: Slim in build with little fat or muscle, appropriate for neutral or polite descriptions.
flaquito: Small and gently thin in a warm, affectionate way.
esbelto: Slim and elegant, defined by straight posture and harmonious proportions.
escuálido: Severely thin and skeletal in appearance, suggesting poor health or malnutrition.

Definition in Spanish

Que tiene una constitución corporal delgada, con poca masa grasa o muscular; según el contexto puede sonar despectivo.

Word origin

From Latin flaccus 'flabby, slack' via Vulgar Latin, flaco developed in Spanish to denote a person with little flesh or muscle mass.

Usage tips

  • Flaco is often more blunt or informal than delgado and can sound insulting in neutral company, so delgado is the safer neutral choice.

Other meanings

  • emaciatedadjective

Opposites

  • gordooverweightadjective
  • corpulentostoutadjective

Related words

  • enflaquecerslim downverb
  • flaquezaemaciationnoun
  • enflaquecidogauntadjective

Word lists with this word