measly

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈmizli/ UK /ˈmiːzli/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
contemptibly small or meager

After all that work he received a measly reward.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · contemptibly small or meager paltry meager stingy trifling puny scanty

Opposites

generous ample substantial plentiful

Word family

Derived forms measliness

Related forms measles

Etymology

Originally 'infected with measles' (from measles, Middle English maseles, of Low German origin), the word came by the 19th century to mean 'contemptibly small or worthless', perhaps by association with something diseased or spotty.

maseles Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# measly

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈmizli/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈmiːzli/

## Meanings
1. contemptibly small or meager

## Examples
- After all that work he received a measly reward.

## Synonyms
- paltry
- meager
- stingy
- trifling
- puny
- scanty

## Antonyms
- generous
- ample
- substantial
- plentiful

## Derived Forms
- measliness

## Related Forms
- measles

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: maseles

## Etymology
Originally 'infected with measles' (from measles, Middle English maseles, of Low German origin), the word came by the 19th century to mean 'contemptibly small or worthless', perhaps by association with something diseased or spotty.

## AI Etymology
Measly is originally 'infected with measles' (from measles, Middle English maseles, of Low German origin), the word came by the 19th century to mean 'contemptibly small or worthless', perhaps by association with something diseased or spotty. Important recorded forms include maseles (Middle English). Its deeper history remains uncertain, with proposed links left as possibilities rather than a single settled derivation. The current sense covers contemptibly small or meager. The wider family includes derived forms such as measliness and related words such as measles.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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