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thin

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The definition of thin is having little depth, being lean or not having a lot of something.

(adjective)

An example of something thin is a thin coat of paint.
An example of something thin is a menu with only five items on it.

To thin is defined as to make something slender, less fatty or less full of something.

(verb)

An example of to thin is to add milk to a chocolate sauce.

Thin means in a slender or narrow way.

(adverb)

An example of thin used as an adverb is the phrase "thin cut turkey" which means turkey that has been sliced small in depth.

See thin in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective thinner, thinnest

having relatively little depth; of little extent from one surface or side to the opposite: thin paper
having relatively small diameter in relation to length: thin thread
having little fat or flesh; lean; gaunt; slender
having the constituent elements small in number and not close together; specif.,
1. scanty in growth; sparsely distributed: thin hair
2. small in size or number: thin receipts
3. lacking body; not thick in consistency; watery: thin soup
4. not dense or heavy: thin smoke, a thin snowfall
5. rarefied, as air at high altitudes
of little intensity; dim; faint; pale: thin colors
of little volume or resonance; high-pitched and weak: a thin voice
light or sheer, as fabric
easily seen through; flimsy or unconvincing: a thin excuse
lacking solidity, substance, or vigor; slight, weak, vapid, etc.: a thin plot, thin argument
Photog. lacking in density (sense ): said of an underexposed or underdeveloped negative or print

Origin: ME thinne < OE thynne, akin to Ger dünn < IE *tenu-, thin < base *ten-, to stretch > L tenuis, thin, tenere, to hold, tendere & Gr teinein, to stretch

adverb thinner, thinnest

in a thin way

transitive verb, intransitive verb thinned, thinning

to make or become thin or thinner, as in dimension, density, etc.

Origin: ME thinnen < OE (ge)thynnian < the adj.

Related Forms:

thinly adverb
thinness noun

See thin in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective thin·ner, thin·nest

a. Relatively small in extent from one surface to the opposite, usually in the smallest solid dimension: a thin book.
b. Not great in diameter or cross section; fine: thin wire.
Lean or slender in form, build, or stature.
a. Not dense or concentrated; sparse: the thin vegetation of the plateau.
b. More rarefied than normal: thin air.
a. Flowing with relative ease; not viscous: a thin oil.
b. Watery: thin soup.
Sparsely supplied or provided; scanty: a thin menu; thin trading.
Lacking force or substance; flimsy: a thin attempt.
Lacking resonance or fullness; tinny: The piano had a thin sound.
Lacking radiance or intensity: thin light.
Not having enough photographic density or contrast to make satisfactory prints. Used of a negative.