meanie

Or mean·y

[mee-nee]

noun

Informal.

plural

meanies 

1. a mean, small-minded, petty, or selfish person.

   The children said their teacher was a real meanie.

2. a villain, as in a movie or book.

   Syndrome is the meanie in “The Incredibles.”

meanie

/ ˈmiːnɪ /

noun

1. a miserly or stingy person

2. a nasty ill-tempered person

Word History and Origins

Origin of meanie¹

First recorded in 1925–30; mean ² + -ie

Example Sentences

Atheists are just big meanies, at least the fictional ones conservative Christians online are forever railing against.

Read more on Salon

Maybe it’s why the quiet moments tend to stand out most for those who have played for the man some fans see as a screaming meanie.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It’s a bright, light movie — in palette and temperament — that’s stuffed with talented performers who seem to be having a pleasant time, even when pretending to be meanies.

Read more on New York Times

All this makes one wonder: Why so soft on the meanie ex-president?

Read more on Washington Post

According to the letter, Twitter is a bunch of big meanies that aren’t giving Musk the information he needs to close the transaction, specifically about bots and spam.

Read more on The Verge