bandy legs
C1informal, medical
Definition
Meaning
a condition where the legs curve outward at the knees, causing the ankles to be close together while the knees are apart.
A physical deformity or posture characterized by outward-bowing legs; often used descriptively or pejoratively.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a noticeable or pronounced outward curvature. Can be congenital or acquired. Sometimes used in a non-medical, descriptive way (e.g., 'he walked with a bandy-legged gait').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is understood and used in both varieties, but 'bow-legged' is more common in everyday American English. 'Bandy-legged' may carry a slightly more informal or colloquial tone in the US.
Connotations
In both, it can sound slightly old-fashioned or descriptive. May have mild pejorative undertones when used outside a medical context.
Frequency
More frequently encountered in UK English than US English, where 'bow-legged' is predominant.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] has bandy legs.[Subject]'s legs are bandy.He is bandy-legged.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in medical, anthropological, or biomechanical contexts to describe a specific leg alignment.
Everyday
Used informally to describe someone's appearance or gait.
Technical
A clinical sign of conditions like rickets, Blount's disease, or skeletal dysplasia.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The farmer was a bandy-legged fellow from years in the saddle.
- Toddlers often have a slightly bandy-legged appearance when learning to walk.
American English
- The cowboy had a distinct, bandy-legged stance.
- The condition left him permanently bandy-legged.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The old sailor walked with bandy legs.
- Severe vitamin D deficiency in childhood can lead to permanently bandy legs.
- His bandy-legged walk was instantly recognizable across the yard.
- The skeletal remains showed signs of rickets, evidenced by the pronounced bandy legs.
- Anthropometric measurements accounted for the population's tendency toward slightly bandy legs.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'bandy' stick in field hockey, which is curved. Bandy legs are like curved sticks.
Conceptual Metaphor
LEGS ARE CURVED OBJECTS (like bows, parentheses, or hockey sticks).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation. The Russian term 'кривые ноги' is a broader, more colloquial phrase. 'Bandy legs' is the specific condition of outward bowing.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing it with 'knock-kneed' (which is the opposite condition).
- Using 'bandy' alone to mean 'legs' (e.g., 'He has bandy' is incorrect; it's 'bandy legs' or 'bandy-legged').
- Misspelling as 'bandy-legged' (correct hyphenation).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary medical term for 'bandy legs'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is descriptive but can be perceived as impolite or insensitive if used to directly describe a person's appearance in a non-medical context. 'Bow-legged' is slightly more neutral, and 'has a condition called genu varum' is the formal, polite medical terminology.
In children, mild cases often correct themselves. More severe or persistent cases, especially those caused by underlying disease, may require bracing, physical therapy, or surgery.
They are synonyms. 'Bandy legs' (or 'bandy-legged') is more common in UK English, while 'bow-legged' is more common in US English. 'Bandy' can sound slightly more informal or old-fashioned.
It can be. Some infants are born with mild physiological genu varum which often corrects by age 3. It can also be acquired, most famously due to nutritional rickets (vitamin D deficiency) or other bone diseases.