Meagerest Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

Literature

• In literature, characters described as meager often symbolize poverty, struggle, or hardship.
• Classic works often depict meager environments to reflect a character's emotional state or societal issue.
• Even in poetry, using 'meager' can evoke strong imagery about lack or longing, enhancing the emotional impact.

Cultural References

• In many cultures, meager resources often highlight the contrast between wealth and poverty.
• Fables and stories frequently portray meager beginnings that lead to greater success, teaching values of perseverance.
• Songs and art sometimes use the concept of meager existence to comment on societal inequalities.

Psychology

• Feeling meager might trigger feelings of inadequacy or comparison to others who have more.
• Research indicates that perceptions of meagerness can impact motivation and mental health, fostering resilience or despair.
• When resources are meager, individuals often find creative ways to adapt and survive, showcasing human ingenuity.

Economics

• In economics, discussions about meager wages highlight issues of labor rights and living standards.
• Meager investments in certain sectors can lead to economic stagnation, reflecting on broader societal impacts.
• Policy debates often revolve around how to combat meager provisions for education and healthcare, affecting whole communities.

Main points about word origin

• 'Meager' comes from the Old French 'maigre,' meaning thin or lean, originally referring to food.
• The word 'meager' has been in use since the 14th century, describing things that are scant or inadequate.
• The superlative form 'meagerest' demonstrates how language evolves to express extremes of a quality.

The word 'meager' comes from the Old French 'maigre,' meaning thin or lean, which itself has roots in the Latin 'macrum.' The suffix '-est' is a superlative that implies the highest degree of the quality described by the adjective it is attached to. Historically, 'meager' has been used to denote deficiency or lack, and its usage dates back to Middle English where it was often associated with starvation or lack of sustenance. Over time, the term evolved to describe not only physical scarcity but also metaphorical uses relating to lack of quality or worth. Thus, 'meagerest' serves as an intensifier expressing the extreme form of inadequacy or insufficiency.

With rank #42,740, this word is among the least frequently used in common English. Understanding it can be beneficial for comprehensive language mastery, but it's not essential for most learners.

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