meager

Pronunciation: /ˈmiɡɚ/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. adjective deficient in amount or quality or extent

Etymology

From Middle English megre, from Anglo-Norman megre, Old French maigre, from Latin macer, from Proto-Indo-European *mh₂ḱrós. Akin, through the Indo-European root, to Old English mæġer (“meager, lean”), West Frisian meager (“meager”), Dutch mager (“meager”), German mager, Icelandic magr whence the Icelandic magur, Norwegian Bokmål mager and Danish mager. Doublet of maigre.

In classic literature

Synonyms

meagre, meagerly, stingy, scrimpy

Semantic network

Similar
hardscrabble, hand-to-mouth, measly, exiguous
Opposite (antonyms)
ample

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