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Suffix · forms adjectives

-legged

Describes the number or type of legs: four-legged (having four legs) and long-legged (having long legs).

In Spanish: de piernas / con patasLiterary

Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated August 2026

What this suffix does

-legged forms compound adjectives that describe the number, length, shape, or character of legs — or leg-like appendages. Long-legged, four-legged, bandy-legged, spindle-legged, three-legged — each compound creates a precise visual image of physical structure. In literary writing -legged compounds are among the most economical tools for establishing a character's or creature's physical presence. A single -legged compound can do more to establish a physical impression than a long descriptive sentence. They belong to the tradition of physical characterisation that runs from epic poetry through Victorian fiction to contemporary literary prose.

How it is formed

Number or adjective + legged.

  • four + legged
    four-legged
  • long + legged
    long-legged
  • three + legged
    three-legged (a three-legged race)

This is not a productive rule you can apply freely: it is a closed set of fixed expressions. Learn them one by one as set phrases.

How it is pronounced

-legged

Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.

Examples

Base word
With -legged
In a phrase
  • longlong-leggedThe long-legged dog could run much faster than the others.
  • fourfour-leggedCats and dogs are both four-legged animals.
  • bandybandy-leggedThe old cowboy walked with a bandy-legged gait.
  • spindlespindle-leggedThe baby deer looked spindle-legged as it tried to stand.
  • threethree-leggedThe kids laughed all the way through the three-legged race.

Common mistakes

long-legged = always a compliment
long-legged is neutral and descriptive unless the context makes it evaluative

"Long-legged" is primarily descriptive rather than evaluative — it describes a physical characteristic. Context determines whether it is admiring (fashion writing often uses "long-legged" admiringly), neutral (scientific or nature writing), or gently humorous (applied to ungainly creatures). The compound itself does not carry a fixed positive or negative charge.

four-legged = only for animals
four-legged is used for any creature or thing with four legs, including robots, furniture, and animals

"Four-legged" can apply to animals, furniture (four-legged table, four-legged stool), mythological creatures, robots, or any entity with four appendages used for support or locomotion. The compound is entirely structural — it describes the physical configuration, not the nature of the entity.

A trick to remember it

-legged compounds are some of the most vivid in English because legs are so central to how creatures move through the world — and how they look doing it. "Bandy-legged" creates an immediate visual and kinetic impression: you can see the curved legs and the rolling gait. "Spindle-legged" says fragile, thin, uncertain. "Long-legged" says graceful reach. Each compound communicates physical character in a way that a longer description could not improve upon.

Practise what you learned

Exercise 1 · Form the word

Fill in: "The ___ heron stood motionless in the centre of the pond for twenty minutes before striking." (having unusually long legs; moving with the slow deliberateness those legs enable)

Hint: Long + legged = having long legs.

Exercise 2 · Pick the right one

"The bandy-legged cowboy walked into the saloon with the unhurried authority of someone who owns the floor." What does "bandy-legged" suggest?

Exercise 3 · Form the word

Fill in: "The ___ newborn giraffe attempted its first steps with a combination of ambition and structural uncertainty." (having legs that are thin and fragile-looking, not yet strong enough to be fully trusted)

Hint: Spindle + legged = having legs as thin and fragile as a spindle.

Frequently asked questions

What does the suffix -legged mean in English?

The suffix -legged describes the number or type of legs: four-legged (having four legs) and long-legged (having long legs). In Spanish it usually maps to de piernas / con patas.

Can you give an example of a word with -legged?

"long" becomes "long-legged". It is a typical example of the -legged suffix.

Other useful suffixes

  • -footed

    Describes how someone moves or how steady they are: sure-footed (steady, doesn't stumble) and flat-footed (caught off guard; also flat feet).

  • -natured

    Describes someone's underlying character: good-natured (kind, easygoing) versus ill-natured (bad-tempered).

Learn every English suffix

-tion, -ness, -ful, -ly, -able... every ending you need to understand thousands of words at once.

View all suffixes
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