Too small in amount or size; not enough, or revealing more of the body than is usual or expected.
From 'skimp,' meaning to be stingy or to save on something. The '-y' suffix turns the verb into an adjective, likely dating to the 1800s in American English.
The word 'skimpy' is gender-loaded—when it describes clothing, it often carries judgment, especially about women, which reveals how language reflects society's attitudes about modesty and bodies.
Historically applied pejoratively to women's clothing choices, implying moral judgment. The term conflates garment size with character assessment, a gendered rhetorical move.
Use neutrally to describe quantity/size without character judgment. When discussing clothing, describe objectively rather than through gendered morality frames.
["minimal","brief","scanty (for fabric only)"]
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