starveling

American  

[stahrv-ling] / ˈstɑrv lɪŋ /

noun

1. a person, animal, or plant that is starving.

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adjective

1. starving; suffering from lack of nourishment.

2. pining with want.

3. poverty-stricken.

4. poor in condition or quality.

5. such as to entail or suggest starvation.

starveling British  

/ ˈstɑːvlɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. a starving or poorly fed person, animal, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a starveling child

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adjective

1. insufficient; meagre; scant

Etymology

Origin of starveling

First recorded in 1540–50; starve + -ling ¹

Example Sentences

He lived a Bohemian life, indolent, unspeakably shabby, a starveling writing silly verses.

From Time Magazine Archive

It remained an organizational starveling until Foy Valentine became its executive secretary five years ago.

From Time Magazine Archive

And the academic division was reduced to a starveling $4,320,824 � less than the endowment of Mount Holyoke.

From Time Magazine Archive

During the postwar decade, first as a starveling poet and then as tutor at Magdalen College, he felt something else at his back-the Hound of Heaven.

From Time Magazine Archive

She was lean, hard muscle, where Reek was loose, grey skin and brittle bones, a white-haired starveling.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin