Langimage
English

meagerly

|mea/ger/ly|

B2

🇺🇸

/ˈmiːɡərli/

🇬🇧

/ˈmiːɡəli/

(meager)

insufficient

Base FormComparativeSuperlativeAdjectiveAdverb
meagermeagerermeagerestmeagremeagerly
Etymology
Etymology Information

'meagerly' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'megre', where 'megre' meant 'lean or thin'.

Historical Evolution

'megre' changed from the Old French word 'maigre' and eventually became the modern English word 'meager'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'lean or thin', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'lacking in quantity or quality'.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Adverb 1

in a manner that is lacking in quantity or quality.

The meal was meagerly prepared, leaving everyone still hungry.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:42