meager

US: /ˈmigɚ/ ,(mē′gər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

mea•ger /ˈmigɚ/   adj. 

1. not enough in quantity or quality;
   insufficient:
   a meager salary.
2. having little flesh;
   lean.

Also,[esp. Brit.,] ˈmea•gre.  mea•ger•ly, adv. 
mea•ger•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

mea•ger  (mē′gər), adj. 

1. deficient in quantity or quality;
   lacking fullness or richness;
   scanty;
   inadequate:
   a meager salary;
   meager fare;
   a meager harvest.
2. having little flesh;
   lean;
   thin:
   a body meager with hunger.
3. maigre.

Also,[esp. Brit.,] mea′gre. 

• Latin macer lean
• Old French maigre
• Middle English megre 1300–50

mea′ger•ly, adv. 
mea′ger•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. See scanty. 
• 2. gaunt, spare, skinny.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

meagre, meager / ˈmiːɡə/ adjective

1. deficient in amount, quality, or extent
2. thin or emaciated
3. lacking in richness or strength

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French maigre, from Latin macer lean, poor

ˈmeagrely, ˈmeagerly adverb

ˈmeagreness, ˈmeagerness noun