Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Old French
Origin: puisné 'younger', from puis 'afterward' + né 'born'

puny

 adjective
     
pu‧ny
1 a puny person is small, thin, and weak:
puny arms
2 not effective or impressive
a puny attempt at humour
Our efforts look puny beside Fred's.
3 a puny amount of money is too small:
She was awarded a puny £1,000 in compensation.
WORD FOCUS: weak WORD FOCUS: weak
person: puny, feeble, weedy British English, frail, fragile, powerless, vulnerable
thing: fragile, delicate, flimsy, rickety, badly made, jerry-built

➔ See also weak
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
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