puny en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈpjuːni/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈpjuni/ (General-American)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *pós Proto-Indo-European *-ti Proto-Indo-European *pósti Proto-Italic *posti Old Latin poste Latin post Proto-Indo-European *íh₂ Latin ea Latin posteā Vulgar Latin *postius Old French puis Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥h₁tós Proto-Italic *gnātos Latin gnātus Latin nātus Old French né Old French puisné Middle French puisnébor. English puisne English puny PIE word *pós A respelling of puisne, from Anglo-Norman puisné (“later, more recent; junior; weakly”) [and other forms] and Middle French puisné (“born after (a specified person); younger, youngest; one who is born after (a specified person)”) (modern French puîné (“cadet (born after a sibling); a cadet (someone born after a sibling)”)), from puis (“after; since”) + né (“born”). Puis is derived from Old French pois (“after; since”), from Vulgar Latin *postius (“afterward”), from Latin posteā (“afterwards; hereafter; thereafter; next, then”), from post (“after; since”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pós (“afterwards”)) + ea (“these (things)”); and né from Latin nātus (“born”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to beget; to give birth; to produce”).
Meanings
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Of inferior significance, size, or strength; ineffective, small, weak.
[W]e dart / O'er wave or field: yet breezes laugh to scorn // Our puny speed, […]
1827, [John Keble], “Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity”, in The Christian Year: Thoughts in Verse for the Sundays and Holydays throughout the Year, volume II, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [B]y W. Baxter, for J. Parker; and C[harles] and J[ohn] Rivington, […], →OCLC, page 87:I had forgot my ſelfe, am I not King? […] Is not the Kings name twenty thouſand names? / Arme arme, my name a puny ſubiect ſtrikes, / At thy great glorie, […]
1595 December 9 (first known performance), [William Shakespeare], The Tragedie of King Richard the Second. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Valentine Simmes for Androw Wise, […], published 1597, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:How ſhould puny ſcribblers be abaſhed and diſappointed, when they find him diſplaying a perfect theory of lexicographical excellence, yet at the ſame time candidly and modeſtly allowing that he "had not ſatisfied his own expectations."
1791, James Boswell, “[1755]”, in James Boswell, editor, The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. […], volume I, London: […] Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, […], →OCLC, page 163:a puny attempt at an apology
You puny earthlings are no match for Ming the Merciless!
And twentie of theſe punie lies Ile tell, / That men ſhall ſweare I haue diſcontinued ſchoole / About a twelue moneth: […]
c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], page 177, column 1:
- (Southern-US, qualifier:south Midland US) (Frequently) ill; poorly, sickly.
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(obsolete) Alternative spelling of puisne. ▸ Inferior in rank; specifically, of a judge: junior.
But if you think this Trade to baſe, / (Which ſeldom is the Dunce's Caſe) / Put on the Critick's Brow, and ſit / At Wills the puny Judge of Wit.
1733, [Jonathan Swift], On Poetry: A Rapsody, Dublin; London: […] [R. Fleming] [a]nd sold by J. Huggonson, […], →OCLC, page 15, lines 237–240:WHEN John firſt brought out the Bills, the Surprize of all the Family was unexpreſſible, at the prodigious Dimenſions of them; […] Fees to Judges, puny Judges, Clerks, Prothonotories, Philizers, Chirographers, Underclerks, Proclamators, Counſel, Witneſſes, Jury-men, Marſhals, Tipſtaffs, Cryers, Porters; […]
1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “How John Look’d Over His Attorney’s Bill”, in Law is a Bottomless-Pit. […], London: […] John Morphew, […], →OCLC, page 20:Many thought that he had altogether cut his own throat, and that he would have to take the first "puny" judgeship vacant.
1871 (date written), Anthony Trollope, “Daniel Thwaite receives his Money”, in Lady Anna. […], volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1874, →OCLC, pages 111–112:Gadsbodkins, you puny Upſtart in the Law, to uſe me ſo, you Green Bag Carrier, you Murderer of unfortunate Cauſes, the Clerks Ink is ſcarce off of your fingers, you that newly come from Lamblacking the Judges ſhooes, and are not fit to wipe mine; […]
1676 December 11 (first performance), [William] Wycherley, The Plain-Dealer. A Comedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for James Magnes and Rich[ard] Bentley […], published 1677, →OCLC, Act III, page 42:
- (obsolete) Alternative spelling of puisne. ▸ Coming later in time; secondary, subsequent.
- (obsolete) Alternative spelling of puisne. ▸ Not experienced; novice.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| punier | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| puniest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Deriveds
punyness · punily · punyism · Punycode · punyish · puniness
Synonyms
low · ickle · puny · wasted · lank · lanky · scraggy · weedy · pint-sized · anorexic · macilent · wurly · skinny · pocket-size · slim · undernourished · gangly · petty · fun size · fun-sized · lit'l · stringy · wee · compact · angular · skin and bones · gaunt · underweight · emaciated · insignificant · mini · small · thin as a rake · scrawny · gangling · modest · carrion · undersized · slight · small-scale · little · pencil-necked · rawboned · rangy · haggard · starved · leptosome · reedy
Translations (53)
de kläglich (of inferior size — see also small) · sv ynklig (of inferior size — see also small) · sv ynkligt liten (of inferior size — see also small) · de mickrig (of inferior size — see also small) · mi rehe (of inferior size — see also small) · ja 虚弱な (of inferior size — see also small) · fi mitätön (of inferior size — see also small) · cmn 弱小 (of inferior size — see also small) · el μικρός (of inferior size — see also small) · bg недорасъл (of inferior size — see also small) · es flojo (of inferior size — see also small) · de schwächlich (of inferior size — see also small) · ca escarransit (of inferior size — see also small) · fi vähäpätöinen (of inferior size — see also small) · ja ちっぽけな (of inferior size — see also small) · cs drobounký (of inferior size — see also small) · fr frêle (of inferior size — see also small) · cs drobný (of inferior size — see also small) · pt fraco (of inferior size — see also small) · fr chétif (of inferior size — see also small) · ja 弱々しい (of inferior size — see also small) · nl ijdel (of inferior size — see also small) · bg дребен (of inferior size — see also small) · nl zwak (of inferior size — see also small) · pl wątły (of inferior size — see also small) · pt franzino (of inferior size — see also small) · ru кро́шечный (of inferior size — see also small) · cs malý (of inferior size — see also small) · nl klein (of inferior size — see also small) · ca desnerit (of inferior size — see also small) · mi pūkiki (of inferior size — see also small) · it gracile (of inferior size — see also small) · no ynkelig (of inferior size — see also small) · de klein (of inferior size — see also small) · el μικροκαμωμένος (of inferior size — see also small) · de kümmerlich (of inferior size — see also small) · ru кро́хотный (of inferior size — see also small) · es gualtrapas (of inferior size — see also small) · ca feble (of inferior size — see also small) · lb krappeg (of inferior size — see also small) · mi kaurehe (of inferior size — see also small) · la pusillus (of inferior size — see also small) · sv tanig (of inferior size — see also small) · es tirillas (of inferior size — see also small) · ga éidreorach (of inferior size — see also small) · cmn 微小 (of inferior size — see also small) · it sparuto (of inferior size — see also small) · nl nietig (of inferior size — see also small) · ko 자그마하다 (of inferior size — see also small) · pt pequeno (of inferior size — see also small) · el αδύνατος (of inferior size — see also small) · da sølle (of inferior size — see also small) · ga beag bídeach (of inferior size — see also small)