two-legged
|two-leg-ged|
/ˌtuːˈlɛɡɪd/
having two legs
Etymology
'two-legged' is a modern English compound formed from 'two' + 'leg' with the adjectival suffix '-ed'. 'Two' comes from Old English 'twā'/'twā' (from Proto-Germanic '*twai-'), and 'leg' comes from Old English 'leg' (related to Old Norse 'leggr').
'two' developed from Proto-Germanic '*twai-' through Old English 'twā'/'twa' into modern English 'two'; 'leg' evolved from Old English 'leg' (and related Old Norse 'leggr') into modern 'leg'. The combination into a compound adjective 'two-legged' follows English compounding patterns with the participial/adjectival '-ed'.
Initially the elements literally meant '2' and 'leg'; combined as 'two-legged' they have long meant 'having two legs' (bipedal), and this core meaning has been retained in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a two-legged creature; (informal) a person or animal that walks on two legs.
A two-legged stood at the gate, watching the yard.
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Adjective 1
having two legs; bipedal.
The two-legged bird hopped along the branch.
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Last updated: 2025/11/05 03:09