Where does “scrawny” come from?
Scrawny derives from scranny, a dialectal English variant of uncertain origin and meaning that may relate to Scandinavian words for thinness or leanness.
scrawny (English): Thin, malnourished and weak
Definitions
- Thin, malnourished and weak
Ancestry of “scrawny”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | scranny | thin; lean; meagre; scrawny |
| 2 | Old Norse | skran | rubbish; junk; rubbish; marine stores |
Words derived from “scrawny”