Runted

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. A word used to characterize an animal that exhibits stunted growth and lacks size or strength compared to its kind, signifying poor development or health, and it can also metaphorically describe a person perceived as weak or inadequate relative to others
2. Describes an individual, often an animal, that is unusually small or feeble compared to its peers
3. Refers to a creature or person showing signs of underdevelopment or lesser physical strength relative to similar beings

Etymology: "Runted" is simply the past participle and adjectival form of the verb "to runt," which is formed from the noun "runt." The noun is an older word for a small, stunted animal, especially the smallest pig in a litter, and the verb grew out of that sense: to runt something is to produce or describe a creature that is undersized or underdeveloped. The ending "-ed" marks the participle, so "runted" describes an animal that has been stunted or is weak compared with its littermates. The metaphorical use followed naturally. Once people spoke of a runted animal, they could apply the same picture to a person who seemed slight, feeble, or inadequate beside others of the same kind. The sense stays close to its origin, which is why the word still sounds like a judgment about growth and vigour rather than about age or intelligence.

Synonyms: weakened, undersized