Plural of beanpole; tall poles used to support climbing bean plants, or (figuratively) very tall, thin people.
Compound of 'bean' and 'pole' (from Old English 'pol'). The figurative use for thin people emerged in 19th-century slang, comparing lanky bodies to the thin poles used in gardens.
The figurative use of 'beanpole' for tall, skinny people shows how agricultural vocabulary becomes part of everyday insults and descriptions—language borrowing from where people worked most.
Historically used to describe tall, thin people, particularly women, in reductive physical terms. Compounds gendered appearance-based evaluation with diminishment.
Avoid for describing people. Use neutral descriptors like 'tall and slender' if physical description is relevant and consensual.
["tall and slender","lanky","thin frame"]
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.