Synonyms

runty

American

[ruhn-tee] / ˈrʌn ti /

adjective

runtier, runtiest

stunted; dwarfish.

The runty puppy seems the most playful of the litter.

Other Word Forms

runtiness noun

Etymology

Origin of runty

First recorded in 1800–10; runt + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Weyerhaeuser, America’s largest private landowner, launched a venture to turn runty trees and sawdust from its mills into a replacement for metallurgical coal used in steel making.

From The Wall Street Journal

“She’s kind of runty, although she just had a growth spurt, and she’s taking off. She’s about three-quarters the size of mom.”

From Seattle Times

Such runty particles wouldn’t produce detectable nuclear recoils.

From Science Magazine

Is it as heartwarming as a runty, wilted Christmas tree revived by love?

From Los Angeles Times

They are sarcastic, my lot, calling a runty little chap like me Big Fellow, but there you are.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023