What does bandiest mean?
"Bandiest" is the superlative of "bandy," an informal English adjective describing legs that curve outward at the knee — so a bandiest-legged person has the most conspicuously bowed legs in whatever group is being discussed. The word belongs chiefly to colloquial speech and light descriptive writing, where it tends to sound vivid, wry, or affectionately mocking rather than medical; clinicians would instead speak of genu varum. A secondary, now-rare sense treats it as the superlative of the verb "bandy," describing something most frequently tossed back and forth in conversation, as in the most bandied-about rumour. Etymologically, "bandy" traces to the French verb bander, meaning to bend, ultimately connected to the noun bande — the same root that gives us "band" and "bandage" — reflecting an old notion that a bowed leg resembled a bent strap. Though uncommon, the word survives as a colourful piece of descriptive vocabulary.
Having the most markedly bowed or crooked legs; superlative of "bandy."
"He was the bandiest-legged footballer of his generation."
Informal; often used humorously or affectionately.
Most bandied; tossed back and forth or discussed more than anything else (rare superlative of the verb "bandy").
"His name was the bandiest topic in every drawing-room that winter."
Rare and largely archaic.
The word for the world's most bowed legs comes from the same French root as "band" — because a bent leg was thought to resemble a curved strap.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bandiest
"Bandiest" derives from "bandy," which entered English in the early modern period from the French verb bander, meaning to bend, itself rooted in the noun bande (a strip or strap). The same French root underlies English words such as "band" and "bandage." The adjective came to describe legs bowed outward at the knees, and its superlative form, "bandiest," follows standard English -est inflection. A separate verb "bandy," meaning to toss back and forth, developed around the same period and gives rise to a rarer verbal use of the superlative.
Related word forms
How bandiest is actually used
Register is informal to colloquial; the word often carries a mildly humorous or affectionate tone rather than a clinical one. Medical writing prefers terms like "genu varum." The leg-related sense is by far the dominant one; the verbal sense is rare and mostly archaic.
Easily confused with bandiest
"Brandies" are plural forms of brandy (the spirit), while "bandiest" describes bowed legs or something tossed about.