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runt

[ ruhnt ]
/ rʌnt /
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See synonyms for: runt / runtish on Thesaurus.com
noun
an animal that is small or stunted as compared with others of its kind.
the smallest or weakest of a litter, especially of piglets or puppies.
a person who is petty and contemptible: That runt causes most of the trouble at the meetings.
British Dialect.
  1. an old or decayed tree stump.
  2. an old cow or ox.
  3. an ugly old woman; hag.
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Origin of runt

First recorded in 1540–50; of uncertain origin, perhaps from Dutch rund “bull, cow, ox”; akin to German Rind “cattle”

OTHER WORDS FROM runt

runtish, adjectiverunt·ish·ly, adverbrunt·ish·ness, noun

Words nearby runt

run riot, run scared, run short, run someone in, run someone off his or her feet, runt, run the gamut, run the gauntlet, run the show, run-through, run time
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to runt

homunculus, midget, peewee, punk, shrimp

How to use runt in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for runt

runt
/ (rʌnt) /
noun
the smallest and weakest young animal in a litter, esp the smallest piglet in a litter
derogatory an undersized or inferior person
a large pigeon, originally bred for eating

Derived forms of runt

runtish, adjectiverunty, adjectiveruntiness, noun

Word Origin for runt

C16: origin unknown
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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