runty
Smallest of litter
Runty describes something undersized or smaller than expected, typically the smallest of a group.
The word comes from runt, the smallest animal in a litter, often struggling to compete with larger siblings.
Applied to people, runty carries a mildly insulting tone, suggesting someone is puny or underdeveloped: He was a runty kid who got picked last for every team.
The term can also describe stunted plants or anything notably smaller than its peers.
Small and weak
- smallLimited in size
- tinyExtremely small in size
- shrimpyUnusually small in build
- pint-sizedVery small in size
little · dwarfed · squat · petite · miniature · compact · dinky · short
puny
Small and weak
pint-sized · little · dwarfed · squat · petite · miniature · compact · dinky · short · teeny
frail
Weak and breakable
sickly · scrawny · spindly · weedy · underfed · malnourished · scraggly · anemic · withered · rickety
piglet
Young swine
youngest · littermate · newborn · underfed · sickly · rejected · survivor · scrappy · underdog · outcast