ENGLISH
REFERENCE

slightly

adv.
US //ˈsɫaɪtɫi// UK //slˈaɪtli// slight·ly
  1. 1 slenderly (adv.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary

    having a thin or delicate body.

    in a slender or delicate manner. This sense is less common in modern speech and usually describes a person's physical build.

    Example

    She was a slightly built woman who looked much younger than her age.

    Example

    The protagonist was described as a slightly built youth, appearing almost fragile against the harsh backdrop of the industrial city.

    Teacher's tip

    In modern English, this sense is almost exclusively found in the fixed phrase 'slightly built' to describe a person's frame.
Origin

From slight + -ly.

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