underweight

[uhn-der-weyt, uhn-der-weyt]

adjective

1. weighing less than is usual, required, or proper.

noun

1. deficiency in weight below a standard or requirement.

underweight

/ ˌʌndəˈweɪt /

adjective

1. weighing less than is average, expected, or healthy

2. finance

   1. having a lower proportion of one's investments in a particular sector of the market than the size of that sector relative to the total market would suggest

   2. (of a fund etc) disproportionately invested in this way

      pension funds have become underweight of equities

Word History and Origins

Origin of underweight¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; under- + weight

Example Sentences

Morgan sees the company’s valuation as expensive and downgraded the stock to underweight from neutral Wednesday.

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It rates Hapag-Lloyd’s stock as underweight with a 72 euro price target.

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However, the current low volatility of U.S. equities pulls in the direction of a higher allocation, netting to a modest underweight.

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Though many kids aren’t without their picky eating habits, the child’s fussiness stems from a rare eating disorder, leaving her underweight and requiring a feeding tube that Linda must monitor daily.

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When health experts used to refer to malnourished children, that was often read as those who were underweight.

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Related Words

• malnourished 
• starved www.thesaurus.com
• undernourished