Where does “puny” come from?
Puny comes from Middle French puisné, from Middle French puis né meaning "born afterward," derived from Latin puteus, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European paw-.
puny (English): Of inferior size, strength or significance;...
Definitions
- Of inferior size, strength or significance;...
Ancestry of “puny”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | puisne | Younger; junior; Insignificant, petty;... |
| 2 | Middle French | puisné | born after; one who is born after |
| 3 | Old French | puisné | — |
Words derived from “puny”