What does meany mean?
Meany is an informal adjective meaning unkind, spiteful, or sometimes stingy. It often describes behavior or actions rather than a person: calling someone’s joke “meany” can convey playful disapproval, while describing someone as “meany” may sound more childlike or accusatory than saying they are unkind. The word is especially common in North American English, particularly in speech and informal writing. Its second sense overlaps with mean in the sense of miserly or unwilling to spend or share. Although it may resemble mean in sound and meaning, meany is generally more emphatic and less neutral, often suggesting that a person’s conduct is deliberately unpleasant or ungenerous. It is consequently well suited to casual dialogue, family conversation, and humorous characterization, but usually less appropriate in formal contexts.
adjectiveInformal, unkind or spiteful; sometimes also stingy or unwilling to share or spend money.
- Unkind, spiteful, or unwilling to show generosity.
- Stingy or miserly, especially in North American informal usage.
"It was meany of him to laugh when she made a mistake."
"That was a meany thing to say."
"His uncle can be rather meany when he is in a bad mood."
With its childlike suffix, meany turns an ordinary description of unkindness into something that sounds playfully accusatory.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of meany
Meany is formed from mean with the informal adjectival suffix -y. The adjective mean descends from Old English gemǣne, meaning “common” or “general,” and developed meanings such as “ordinary,” “low,” and “stingy.” The meany form belongs especially to informal North American English and emphasizes the unkind or miserly senses of its base word.
Related word forms
How meany is actually used
Meany is informal and may sound childish, teasing, or mildly accusatory. It is most common in North American English and is more expressive than the standard adjective mean.
Easily confused with meany
Meany is an informal, often more emphatic adjective, whereas mean is more widely used and has several distinct meanings.