puny Copy link Outline 1. pŭsillus (tiny, scanty, dwarfish)2. exĭgŭus (very small, tiny)3. imbēcillus (weak, powerless)4. parvus, a burthen too great for p. minds, and a p. body, onus parvis animis et parvo corpore majus, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 395. mĭnūtus (petty, inferior; usu. with contempt) • puny: used contemptuously for what is both small and feeble: 1. pŭsillus (tiny, scanty, dwarfish): cf. p. mus, Pl. Truc. 4, 4: a p. mind or spirit, p. animus, Cic. Fam. 2, 17, fin.: cf. Hor. S. 1, 4, 17, Di bene fecerunt, inopis me quodque pusilli, Finxerunt animi (ironical): so, p. ingenium, Mart. 9, 51. 2. exĭgŭus (very small, tiny): of p. frame, corporis exigui, Hor. Ep. 1, 20, 24. With gen.: abundans corporis exiguusque animi, Claud. in Eutr. 2, 381. Join: infirmus atque exiguus [animus], Juv. 13, 190. Exig. may be used for Milton's "puny habitants." 3. imbēcillus (weak, powerless): Cic. Sen. 11, 35: p. human nature, imbecilla natura (generis humani) Sall. Jug. 1: so, i. ingenia, Quint. 2, 8, 12. 4. parvus, a burthen too great for p. minds, and a p. body, onus parvis animis et parvo corpore majus, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 39: so, homo parvo ingenio, Plin. Ep. 6, 29. 5. mĭnūtus (petty, inferior; usu. with contempt): Join: minutus et angustus, Cic. Fin. 1, 18, 61. A puny man, hŏmuncŭlus: neque tam desipiens fuisset, ut homunculis similem (like p. mortals) deum fingeret, Cic. N. D. 1, 44, 123.
PUNY Copy link • PUNYpusillus: exiguus: perparvus: perparvulus: minimus: minutus. ☞ The best writers do not say homo parvus or pusillus, but homo brevi corpore, or statura brevis, or statura humili (short). A puny little fellow, homulus, homuncio, or homunculus.