measly
Particularly of pigs or pork: infected with larval tapeworms or trichinaeParticularly of pigs or pork: infected with larval tapeworms or trichinae (parasitic roundworms).
» I was only paid a measly two dollars.
Meaning
3 sensesParticularly of pigs or pork: infected with larval tapeworms or trichinae (parasitic roundworms).
Of a person: infected with measles.
(figuratively, informal)Small (especially contemptibly small) in amount.
For one whole day's work all I was given was twenty measly pounds.
mickrig
жа́лкийžálkij, ничто́жныйničtóžnyj, мизерныйmizernyj
contemptibly small in amount
Examples
2 sentencesI was only paid a measly two dollars.
"What a measly offering!"
Translations
4 languagesOrigin
From measle (“singular of measles”) + -y; the word measle is either from Middle Dutch maseFrom measle (“singular of measles”) + -y; the word measle is either from Middle Dutch masel (“a blister filled with blood; a pustule, a skin blemish”), or Middle Low German masel (“a red skin blemish”), from Proto-Germanic *masuraz (“a knot or scar in wood; a knarl”), from *mas-, *mēs- (“a spot; a sore; a scar”), from Proto-Indo-European *mos- (“a skin sore”).
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Forms
measlier, measliestSynonyms
3 synonymsWord family
1 related wordsLessons for this word
2 lessons- A2Comparatives — Because it has a comparative form
- A2Superlatives — Because it has a superlative form