noun
1.
an animal that is small or stunted as compared with others of its kind.
2.
the smallest or weakest of a litter, especially of pigs or puppies.
3.
a person who is small and contemptible: That runt causes most of the trouble at the meetings.
4.
British Dialect.
a.
an old or decayed tree stump.
b.
an old cow or ox.
c.
an ugly old woman; hag.
Origin:
1495–1505; perhaps < Dutch rund bull, cow, ox; akin to German Rind cattle
1495–1505; perhaps < Dutch rund bull, cow, ox; akin to German Rind cattle
Related forms
runt·ish, adjective
runt·ish·ly, adverb
runt·ish·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To runt
00:10
Runt
is always a great word to know.
So is gobo. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
runt (rʌnt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the smallest and weakest young animal in a litter, esp the smallest piglet in a litter |
| 2. | derogatory an undersized or inferior person |
| 3. | a large pigeon, originally bred for eating |
| [C16: origin unknown] | |
| 'runtish | |
| —adj | |
| 'runty | |
| —adj | |
| 'runtiness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
runt
1501, "old or decayed tree stump," of unknown origin. Meaning extended to "small ox or cow" (1549) and by 1614 to other animals and people. Specific Amer.Eng. sense of "smallest of a litter" (esp. of pigs) is attested from 1841. Some see a connection to M.Du. runt "ox," but OED thinks this unlikely,
and pronounces the word "of obscure origin."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary
runt definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Example sentences
The fifth puppy out of the den had become a serious runt.
The runt of the family, he had always been a target for his father's anger.
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