Meager — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈmē-gər/ mea·ger

Meaning & Definition of Meager

Meager (adjective)

  1. having little flesh, thin
  2. lacking desirable qualities (such as richness or strength)
  3. deficient in quality or quantity

Meager (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable

    "ever since he started the diet, his dinners have been more meager than he would like"

    similar: exiguous, hand-to-mouth, light, poor, scant, scanty, scarce, skimp, skimpy, slender, slim, spare, sparing, sparse, stingy, thin on the ground
    related: deficient, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, short, wanting, bare, bare-bones, least, littlest, lowest, mere, minimal, slightest, slight, small, thin, barren, infertile, sterile, unfruitful, unproductive
    opposite: abundant, ample, bountiful, copious, generous, liberal, plenteous, plentiful
    near: adequate, enough, satisfactory, sufficient, tolerable, fat, fecund, fertile, fruitful, prolific, rich, lavish, luxuriant, blooming, bursting, flourishing, proliferative, swarming, teeming, thriving, excess, extra, surplus

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Meager

The most common words with a similar meaning to Meager:

exiguous, hand-to-mouth, light, poor, scant, scanty, scarce, skimp, skimpy, slender, slim, spare, sparing, sparse, stingy, thin on the ground

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Meager

Words with the opposite meaning of Meager:

abundant, ample, bountiful, copious, generous, liberal, plenteous, plentiful

Related Words for Meager

deficient, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, short, wanting, bare, bare-bones, least, littlest, lowest, mere, minimal, slightest, slight, small, thin, barren, infertile, sterile, unfruitful, unproductive

Near Antonyms of Meager

adequate, enough, satisfactory, sufficient, tolerable, fat, fecund, fertile, fruitful, prolific, rich, lavish, luxuriant, blooming, bursting, flourishing, proliferative, swarming, teeming, thriving, excess, extra, surplus

Word Forms of Meager

Derived words: meagerly (adverb), meagerness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Meager

Middle English megre "thin, having little flesh from lack of food," borrowed from Anglo-French megre, maigre, going back to Latin macr-, macer "thin, lean, of little substance," going back to Indo-European *mh2ḱ-ro- "long, thin," whence also Germanic *magra- "lean" (whence Old English mæger "lean," Old High German magar, Old Norse magr), Greek makrós "long, tall, high, large"; derivative in *-ro-, adjective suffix, of a base *meh2ḱ-, *mh2ḱ- seen also in Latin maciēs "bodily thinness, wasting," Greek mêkos "length," mḗkistos "longest, highest," Avestan masah- "length, greatness," masišta- "highest," Hittite maklant- "thin, slim (of animals)"

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Meager

What does "Meager" mean?

"Meager" means having little flesh, thin. As an adjective, it is defined as: having little flesh, thin.

What is another word for "Meager"?

Other words for "Meager" include exiguous, hand-to-mouth, light, poor, scant, scanty, scarce and skimp. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Meager" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Meager"?

There are 38 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Meager". Common alternatives include exiguous, hand-to-mouth, light, poor, scant, scanty, scarce, skimp, skimpy and slender.

What is the opposite of "Meager"?

Antonyms of "Meager" include abundant, ample, bountiful, copious, generous, liberal, plenteous and plentiful. Near antonyms include adequate, enough, satisfactory and sufficient.

How do you use "Meager" in a sentence?

Examples of "Meager" in a sentence: "ever since he started the diet, his dinners have been more meager than he would like".

Is "Meager" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Meager" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Meager"?

"Meager" is pronounced /ˈmē-gər/ and divided into syllables as mea·ger.

What is the origin of the word "Meager"?

"Meager" comes from Middle English megre "thin, having little flesh from lack of food," borrowed from Anglo-French megre, maigre, going back to Latin macr-, macer "thin, lean, of little substance," going back to Indo-European *mh2ḱ-ro- "long, thin," whence also Germanic *magra- "lean" (whence Old English mæger "lean," Old High German magar, Old Norse magr), Greek makrós "long, tall, high, large"; derivative in *-ro-, adjective suffix, of a base *meh2ḱ-, *mh2ḱ- seen also in Latin maciēs "bodily thinness, wasting," Greek mêkos "length," mḗkistos "longest, highest," Avestan masah- "length, greatness," masišta- "highest," Hittite maklant- "thin, slim (of animals)". First known use: 14th century.