Meagre

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈmiːɡɚ/

From Middle French maigre.

Full definition of meagre

Noun

1. , an edible fish of the family Sciaenidae.
• 1986, A. WysokiÅ„ski, The Living Marine Resources of the Southeast Atlantic, FAO Fisheries Technical Paper 178, page 48,Among more valuable species some of them are worth mentioning, especially littoral forms as: meagres and other croakers (Sciaenidae), grunters (Pomadasyidae), threadfins (Polynemidae), groupers (Serranidae), snappers (Lutjanidae)....
• 2008, Arturo Morales-Muñes, Eufrasia Roselló-Izquierdo, 11: Twenty Thousand Years of Fishing in the Strait, Torben C. Rick, Jon M. Erlandson (editors), Human Impacts on Ancient Marine Ecosystems: A Global Perspective, page 261,It is striking that these represent meagres (Argyrosomus regius), a species never mentioned in classical texts.
• 2011, John S. Lucas, Paul C. Southgate, Aquaculture: Farming Aquatic Animals and Plants, unnumbered page,Meagres (Argyrosomus regius, 230 cm, 103 kg) have been raised mainly in Spain, France and Italy.

Synonyms

• (Argyrosomus regius) , ,

Hypernyms

• (fish of family Sciaenidae) croaker, drum, drumfish, hardhead, sciaenid

Derived terms

• ()

From Middle English megre, from Anglo-Norman megre, Old French maigre, from Latin macer, from Proto-Indo-European *mh₂ḱros. Cognate with Old English mæġer ("meagre, lean"), Dutch mager ("lean"), German mager ("lean"), Icelandic magur ("lean")..

Alternative forms

• meager (US)

Adjective

1. Having little flesh; lean; thin.Nothing will grow in this meagre soil.He was given meagre piece of cake that he swallowed in one bite.
• 1597, William Shakespeare, , Act 5, Scene 1, 1843, William Shakespeare, Samuel Weller Singer (notes), Charles Symmons (life), The Dramatic Works and Poems, Volume 2, page 462,...meagre were his looks;
  Sharp misery had worn him to the bones:
2. Deficient or inferior in amount, quality or extent; paltry; scanty; inadequate; unsatisfying.
• 1871, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic: A History, Volume 1, page 144,His education had been but meagre.
3. (mineralogy) Dry and harsh to the touch (e.g., as chalk).

Derived terms

• meagrely
• meagreness

Verb

1. (transitive) To make lean.
• 1862, Robert Thomas Wilson, Herbert Randolph (editor), Life of General Sir Robert Wilson, page 275,I am meagred to a skeleton; my nose is broiled to flaming heat, and I am suffering the greatest inconvenience from the loss of my baggage which I fear the enemy have taken with my servant at Konigsberg.

Anagrams

• Graeme
• meager