stalky

English

Etymology

stalk +‎ -y

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɔːki

Adjective

stalky (comparative stalkier, superlative stalkiest)

1. Long and thin, like a stalk of a plant.
   • 2008 May 8, Mike Albo, “Backstage All-Access Passwear”, in New York Times‎^[1]:

     An adorably gangly salesman with stalky black hair and a cough (“I’m giving up smoking, and it’s all coming up”) set up a dressing room for me, and I tried on a black tux shirt with a subtly embroidered bib ($185), a soft ivory-colored jersey ($135) and an olive-green button-front shirt ($165).

2. Of a plant, having stalks.
   • 1942, Emily Carr, The Book of Small, “From Carr Street to James’ Bay”^[2]

     I peeped between the stalky parts of the Lindsays’ lilacs.

3. (informal) Resembling or characteristic of a stalker; seeming to hunt or covertly follow a person.

   a stalky ex-boyfriend

Derived terms

• stalkily
• stalkiness

Anagrams

• Tylkas