Etymology of puny

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Unnumbered source etymology

Original entry ↗

noun

An inferior person; a subordinate; also, an insignificant person. · A younger person; a junior. · A person who is not experienced; a beginner, a novice. · A puisne or junior judge.

adj

Of inferior significance, size, or strength; ineffective, small, weak. · (Frequently) ill; poorly, sickly. · Inferior in rank; specifically, of a judge: junior. · Coming later in time; secondary, subsequent.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *pós Proto-Indo-European *-ti Proto-Indo-European *pósti Proto-Italic *posti Old Latin poste Latin post Proto-Indo-European *íh₂ Latin ea Latin posteā Vulgar Latin *postius Old French puis Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥h₁tós Proto-Italic *gnātos Latin gnātus Latin nātus Old French né Old French puisné Middle French puisnébor. English puisne English puny PIE word *pós A respelling of puisne, from Anglo-Norman puisné (“later, more recent; junior; weakly”) [and other forms] and Middle French puisné (“born after (a specified person); younger, youngest; one who is born after (a specified person)”) (modern French puîné (“cadet (born after a sibling); a cadet (someone born after a sibling)”)), from puis (“after; since”) + né (“born”). Puis is derived from Old French pois (“after; since”), from Vulgar Latin *postius (“afterward”), from Latin posteā (“afterwards; hereafter; thereafter; next, then”), from post (“after; since”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pós (“afterwards”)) + ea (“these (things)”); and né from Latin nātus (“born”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to beget; to give birth; to produce”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Root classification mention*ǵenh₁-ine-pro
Derivation mentionpuisnéfrm · born after (a specified person); younger, youngest; one who is born after (a specified person)
Cognate mentionpuînéfr · cadet (born after a sibling); a cadet (someone born after a sibling)
Derivation mentionpoisfro · after; since
Derivation mentionposteāla · afterwards; hereafter; thereafter; next, then
Derivation mention*pósine-pro · afterwards
Derivation mentionnātusla · born
Derivation mention*ǵenh₁-ine-pro · to beget; to give birth; to produce

This page abbreviates 2 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "puisne<id:inferior>",
        "id": "inferior",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *pós\nProto-Indo-European *-ti\nProto-Indo-European *pósti\nProto-Italic *posti\nOld Latin poste\nLatin post\nProto-Indo-European *íh₂\nLatin ea\nLatin posteā\nVulgar Latin *postius\nOld French puis\nProto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁-\nProto-Indo-European *-tós\nProto-Indo-European *ǵn̥h₁tós\nProto-Italic *gnātos\nLatin gnātus\nLatin nātus\nOld French né\nOld French puisné\nMiddle French puisnébor.\nEnglish puisne\nEnglish puny\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"born after\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"born after\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"after\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"afterward\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"afterward\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"after\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"after\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"after\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"post\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*pós\", \"gloss\" : \"afterwards; by\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"adverb\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-ti\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*pósti\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*posti\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old Latin\", \"term\" : \"poste\", \"lang\" : \"itc-ola\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"post\", \"lang\" : \"la\" }, { \"id\" : \"things\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"demonstrative\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*íh₂\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"ea\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"posteā\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Vulgar Latin\", \"term\" : \"*postius\", \"lang\" : \"la-vul\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"puis\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" }, { \"id\" : \"born\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"born\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"born\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"born\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"produced\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"produce\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*ǵenh₁-\", \"gloss\" : \"to produce; to beget, give birth\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"verbal adjectives\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-tós\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\", \"pos\" : \"deverbal adjectival suffix\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*ǵn̥h₁tós\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*gnātos\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"gnātus\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"nātus\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"né\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"puisné\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle French\", \"term\" : \"puisné\", \"lang\" : \"frm\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"puisne\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"puny\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"inferior\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"puny\" id=\"English:_inferior\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "dercat",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "langname",
      "args": {
        "1": "ine-pro"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European"
    },
    {
      "name": "word",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine",
        "3": "pós",
        "id": ""
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "PIE word",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "pós"
      },
      "expansion": "PIE word\n *pós"
    },
    {
      "name": "root",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*ǵenh₁-"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "glossary",
      "args": {
        "1": "respelling"
      },
      "expansion": "respelling"
    },
    {
      "name": "from",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "puisne"
      },
      "expansion": "puisne"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "xno",
        "3": "puisné",
        "t": "later, more recent; junior; weakly"
      },
      "expansion": "Anglo-Norman puisné (“later, more recent; junior; weakly”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "nb...",
      "args": {
        "1": "puné, puiné, punie, pusné",
        "otherforms": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "[and other forms]"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "frm",
        "3": "puisné",
        "t": "born after (a specified person); younger, youngest; one who is born after (a specified person)"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle French puisné (“born after (a specified person); younger, youngest; one who is born after (a specified person)”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "puîné",
        "t": "cadet (born after a sibling); a cadet (someone born after a sibling)"
      },
      "expansion": "French puîné (“cadet (born after a sibling); a cadet (someone born after a sibling)”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "pois",
        "t": "after; since"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French pois (“after; since”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la-vul",
        "3": "*postius",
        "t": "afterward"
      },
      "expansion": "Vulgar Latin *postius (“afterward”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "posteā",
        "t": "afterwards; hereafter; thereafter; next, then"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin posteā (“afterwards; hereafter; thereafter; next, then”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*pós",
        "t": "afterwards"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *pós (“afterwards”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "nātus",
        "t": "born"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin nātus (“born”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*ǵenh₁-",
        "t": "to beget; to give birth; to produce"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to beget; to give birth; to produce”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "puisne<id:inferior>",
        "id": "inferior",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *pós\nProto-Indo-European *-ti\nProto-Indo-European *pósti\nProto-Italic *posti\nOld Latin poste\nLatin post\nProto-Indo-European *íh₂\nLatin ea\nLatin posteā\nVulgar Latin *postius\nOld French puis\nProto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁-\nProto-Indo-European *-tós\nProto-Indo-European *ǵn̥h₁tós\nProto-Italic *gnātos\nLatin gnātus\nLatin nātus\nOld French né\nOld French puisné\nMiddle French puisnébor.\nEnglish puisne\nEnglish puny"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*pós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/pós#Proto-Indo-European:_post"
    ],
    [
      "*-ti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-ti#Proto-Indo-European:_adverb"
    ],
    [
      "*pósti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/pósti"
    ],
    [
      "*posti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/posti#Proto-Italic:_after"
    ],
    [
      "poste",
      "poste#Latin:_after"
    ],
    [
      "post",
      "post#Latin:_after"
    ],
    [
      "*íh₂",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/íh₂#Proto-Indo-European:_demonstrative"
    ],
    [
      "ea",
      "ea#Latin:_things"
    ],
    [
      "posteā",
      "postea#Latin:_afterward"
    ],
    [
      "*postius",
      "Reconstruction:Latin/postius#Latin:_afterward"
    ],
    [
      "puis",
      "puis#Old_French:_after"
    ],
    [
      "*ǵenh₁-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/ǵenh₁-#Proto-Indo-European:_produce"
    ],
    [
      "*-tós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-tós#Proto-Indo-European:_verbal_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "*ǵn̥h₁tós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/ǵn̥h₁tós#Proto-Indo-European:_produced"
    ],
    [
      "*gnātos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/gnātos#Proto-Italic:_born"
    ],
    [
      "gnātus",
      "gnatus#Latin:_born"
    ],
    [
      "nātus",
      "natus#Latin:_born"
    ],
    [
      "né",
      "né#Old_French:_born"
    ],
    [
      "puisné",
      "puisné#Old_French:_born_after"
    ],
    [
      "puisné",
      "puisné#Middle_French:_born_after"
    ],
    [
      "puisne",
      "puisne#English:_inferior"
    ],
    [
      "*pós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/pós"
    ],
    [
      "puisne",
      "puisne#English"
    ],
    [
      "puisné",
      "puisné#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "puisné",
      "puisné#Middle_French"
    ],
    [
      "puîné",
      "puîné#French"
    ],
    [
      "puis",
      "puis#Middle_French"
    ],
    [
      "né",
      "né#Middle_French"
    ],
    [
      "pois",
      "pois#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "*postius",
      "Reconstruction:Latin/postius"
    ],
    [
      "posteā",
      "postea#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "post",
      "post#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "*pós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/pós"
    ],
    [
      "ea",
      "ea#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "nātus",
      "natus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "*ǵenh₁-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/ǵenh₁-"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "An inferior person; a subordinate; also, an insignificant person.",
        "A younger person; a junior.",
        "A person who is not experienced; a beginner, a novice.",
        "A puisne or junior judge."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic",
        "obsolete"
      ],
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    },
    {
      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "Of inferior significance, size, or strength; ineffective, small, weak.",
        "(Frequently) ill; poorly, sickly.",
        "Inferior in rank; specifically, of a judge: junior.",
        "Coming later in time; secondary, subsequent."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Southern-US",
        "obsolete"
      ],
      "recordId": "bd2f3789169064d23080b7fa6c0a42fdd4116768abbeaeaec733c442e83e5182",
      "rawRecordSha256": "a045790d7deff9ace55fa1272cac77c0388d8c6a560204834a00447c3399d8e6",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 264186
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    "lexicalSenses": 2,
    "glosses": 0
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}

The source etymologies

Unnumbered source etymology

Relationships mentioned by the source

Where this record stops

Source and snapshot