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Added 9 October 2026

akimbo

/əˈkɪm.bəʊ/ adjective

adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about akimbo at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

(used of arms and legs) bent outward with the joint away from the body.
a tailor sitting with legs akimbo

adverb

With hands on hips and elbows extending outward.
she stood there akimbo

Origin

From Middle English in kenebowe, in kene bowe (“in a keen bow”, i.e. “in a sharp bend or angle”), from in (“in”) + keen, kene (“brave, keen, sharp”) + bowe (“bow, bend”). Alternately, possibly from Old Norse kengr (“bent”) + bogi (“a bow”), compare Icelandic kengboginn (“bow-bent”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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