puny

[ pyoo-nee ]

adjective

, pu·ni·er, pu·ni·est.

1. of less than normal size and strength; weak.
2. unimportant; insignificant; petty or minor:

   a puny excuse.

3. Obsolete. puisne.

puny

/ ˈpjuːnɪ /

adjective

1. having a small physique or weakly constitution
2. paltry; insignificant

Derived Forms

• ˈpunily, adverb
• ˈpuniness, noun

Other Words From

• puni·ly adverb
• puni·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of puny¹

First recorded in 1540–50; spelling variant of puisne

Word History and Origins

Origin of puny¹

C16: from Old French puisne puisne

Example Sentences

Los Angeles had recently passed Chicago to become America’s second city, but it still felt far behind with its puny skyline, suburban sprawl and relative lack of cultural sophistication.

From Los Angeles Times

As if being punier is not bad enough, the sharks also become inferior hunters.

From Salon

The winds of a Category 5 hurricane on our puny little planet can exceed 150 miles per hour.

From Los Angeles Times

I was finally finishing when Earth’s puny, pale sun rose into the sky, and the strangest, most disturbing thing yet occurred.

From Literature

In an era of ultra-low rates, those mortgages and bonds paid out puny interest.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• feeble
• frail
• inconsequential
• measly
• paltry
• tiny
• trivial