Dictionary
meager
adjective mea·ger \ˈmē-gər\
: very small or too small in amount
: not having enough of something (such as money or food) for comfort or happiness
Full Definition of MEAGER
1
: having little flesh : thin
2
a : lacking desirable qualities (as richness or strength) <leading a meager life> b : deficient in quality or quantity <a meager diet>
— mea·ger·ly adverb
— mea·ger·ness noun
See meager defined for English-language learners
See meager defined for kids
Variants of MEAGER
mea·ger or mea·gre \ˈmē-gər\
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Origin of MEAGER
Middle English megre, from Anglo-French megre, meigre, from Latin macr-, macer lean; akin to Old English mæger lean, Greek makros long
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to MEAGER
Synonym Discussion of MEAGER
meager, scanty, scant, skimpy, spare, sparse mean falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable. meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency <a meager portion of meat>. scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent <supplies too scanty to last the winter>. scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential <in January the daylight hours are scant>. skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency <tacky housing developments on skimpy lots>. spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity <a spare, concise style of writing>. sparse implies a thin scattering of units <a sparse population>.
MEAGERLY Defined for Kids
meager
adjective mea·ger \ˈmē-gər\
Definition of MEAGER for Kids
1
: not enough in quality or amount <a meager income>
2
: having little flesh : thin
Variants of MEAGER
mea·ger or mea·gre \ˈmē-gər\
Learn More About MEAGER
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