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mean2

Syllabification: (mean)
Pronunciation: /mēn/

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Definition of mean

adjective

  • 1unwilling to give or share things, especially money; not generous:she felt mean not giving a tip they’re not mean with the garlic
  • 2unkind, spiteful, or unfair:it was very mean of me she is always mean to my little brother
  • vicious or aggressive in behavior:the dogs were considered mean
  • 3(especially of a place) poor in quality and appearance; shabby:her home was mean and small
  • (of a person’s mental capacity or understanding) inferior; poor:it was obvious to even the meanest intelligence
  • dated of low birth or social class:it was a hat like that worn by the meanest of people
  • 4 informal excellent; very skillful or effective:he’s a mean cook she dances a mean Charleston

Phrases

no mean ——

denoting something very good of its kind:it was no mean feat

Derivatives

meanly

adverb

Origin:

Middle English, shortening of Old English gemǣne, of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin communis 'common'. The original sense was 'common to two or more persons', later 'inferior in rank', leading to mean2 (sense 3) and a sense 'ignoble, small-minded', from which mean2 (sense 1) and mean2 (sense 2) (which became common in the 19th century) arose

mean in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of mean in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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