Thin, slim, slender, skinny

We might put it like this.

I am slim and slender. (Nicest way to say it. Implies 'attractively thin'.)

You are thin. (Acceptable, but not flattering. Neutral.)

He is skinny. (Somewhat negative way of saying it. Implies 'unattractively thin'.)

Thank you CJ for your comment. Does 'skinny' is thinner than 'thin' and 'thin' is thinner than 'slim and slender'?

Thanks.

AnonymousDoes 'skinny' is thinner than 'thin' and 'thin' is thinner than 'slim and slender'?

Is 'skinny' thinner than 'thin', and 'thin' thinner than 'slim' and 'slender'?

Sometimes, but not necessarily. They can all be the same degree of thinness. It's the attitude of the speaker that's more important than the exact degree of thinness. 'slender' s

Hi CJ,

Thank you very much for correcting my grammar mistake.

CalifJimYou are thin. (Acceptable, but not flattering. Neutral.)

What do you mean by 'neutral'?

Can I use all these terms to describe a man, woman and child?

Do they all mean 'underweight'?

Which of them expresses 'unhealthy' condition?

Thanks.

AnonymousCan I use all these terms to describe a man, woman and child?

Yes.

Common phrases:

He/She was a skinny little kid.

You can't be too rich or too thin. (Wallace Simpson)

He's as thin as a rail / beanpole.

An unhealthy look would be gaunt or emaciated. Sometimes "thin" is unhealthy, sometimes not.

Thank you AlpheccaStars for your comment.

Do they (thin, skinny, slender and slim) all mean 'underweight'?

Do skinny, slender and slim sometimes express 'look unhealthy' like 'thin'?

AnonymousDo they (thin, skinny, slender and slim) all mean 'underweight'?

No, not necessarily. They just describe a body shape.

AnonymousDo skinny, slender and slim sometimes express 'look unhealthy' like 'thin'?

Perhaps skinny, but not slender or slim.

The "unhealthy" terms for extreme underweight are

Wow thanks all this time people have been calling me skinny. I was always offended of the word and now i know why! They really mean im unattractively thin!??

The meaning of all four is approximately the same, but there are nuances in meaning, resulting in differences in usage. Also, "slender" is typically not used for a man. When applied to a woman, the following are examples of (US) usage:

She's gotten thin since she's started dieting. ("Thin" is often used as the general term for low in weight. This is straightforward usage with no impli