puny
[ pyoo-nee ]
/ ˈpyu ni /
adjective, pu·ni·er, pu·ni·est.
of less than normal size and strength; weak.
unimportant; insignificant; petty or minor: a puny excuse.
Obsolete. puisne.
Nearby words
Origin of puny
First recorded in 1540–50; spelling variant of puisne
Related formspu·ni·ly, adverbpu·ni·ness, noun
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for puny
British Dictionary definitions for puny
puny
/ (ˈpjuːnɪ) /
adjective -nier or -niest
having a small physique or weakly constitution
paltry; insignificant
Derived Formspunily, adverbpuniness, noun
Word Origin for puny
C16: from Old French puisne puisne
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for puny
puny
1570s, "inferior in rank" (1540s as a noun, "junior pupil, freshman"), from Middle French puisné (Modern French puîné), from Old French puisne "born later, younger, youngest" (12c., contrasted with aisné "first-born"), from puis nez, from puis "afterward" (from Vulgar Latin *postius, from Latin postea "after this, hereafter," from post "after," see post-, + ea "there") + Old French né "born," from Latin natus, past participle of nasci "be born" (Old Latin gnasci; see genus). Sense of "small, weak, insignificant" first recorded 1590s. Cf. puisne. Related: Puniness.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper