underendowed

[ uhn-der-en-doud ]

adjective

1. (of a school, hospital, or other institution) lacking sufficient income from an endowment.
2. lacking certain desirable traits, faculties, or the like:

   Nobody ever accused him of being underendowed with ambition.

Word History and Origins

Origin of underendowed¹

under- + endow + -ed ²

Example Sentences

The story centers on the relationship of two fliers, an honorable veteran of the Korean War who cannot live up to his past triumphs, and a pilot under his command who is preternaturally lucky but morally underendowed.

From New York Times

No one has more ways to describe how underendowed he is than Mr. Oakerson.

From New York Times

Last month The Detroit Free Press noted that all of the city’s cultural institutions have traditionally been underendowed and suggested that was possibly a side effect of the “new-model mentality of the auto industry,” which encouraged yearly rather than long-term donations.

From New York Times

The underendowed will be pitilessly uncovered and ignored, while we bountiful girls need all the support we can get.

From Time Magazine Archive

As underendowed a stretch of land as exists anywhere in the world, the Gaza Strip hardly seems to qualify as a territorial prize.

From Time Magazine Archive