Having long, noticeable legs, or (of plants) having long stems with few leaves.
From 'leg' plus '-y' suffix, a casual formation that entered common usage in the early 1900s.
Fashion models are called 'leggy' as high praise, but gardeners use it as an insult for weak plants—same word, opposite vibes depending on context.
Leggy became sexualized through mid-20th-century advertising and entertainment, where it described women's bodies as objects of aesthetic consumption. Male body descriptions rarely use this term, establishing gendered visual hierarchy.
When describing body attributes, ground language in context and avoid reductive physical descriptors. Use adjectives that don't imply objectification or aesthetic judgment.
["tall","long-legged","athletic"]
Women's bodies have been historically framed through male gaze; centering functional or neutral descriptors reclaims language from objectification.
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