lank

Lank is an English adjective that describes something long, slender, and often straight or limp. It is frequently used for hair that lies straight and lifeless, or for limbs that appear thin and elongated. The sense can carry a neutral or slightly negative nuance, depending on the context.

In hair-related usage, lank hair is characteristically straight and lacking curl, sometimes described as hanging flat against the head. When applied to limbs or figures, lank can imply slenderness or awkward length, though the more common modern term for a tall, thin frame is lanky.

The word derives from Middle English and is related to other Germanic forms meaning thin or slender. In contemporary English, lank in its bare adjective form is relatively rare outside of literary, dialect, or historical contexts; many speakers would replace it with straight, slender, or limp.

Lank has derivative forms such as lankness (the quality of being lank) and, in some cases, the adjective lanky appears as a related but distinct term describing someone tall and thin.

See also: lank hair, lankiness, lanky, slender, limp.