What does scranny mean?
Scranny is an informal North American adjective meaning small, meager, or inadequate. It is often applied to a portion, meal, room, supply, or other thing that seems too small for what is needed. Because the tone can be dismissive or teasing, “scranny” may add humor or exaggeration rather than merely report a small size. It can also describe an attempt or result as thin, poor, or unconvincing. The word is especially common in speech and informal writing, so it generally sounds more familiar than precise terms such as “scanty,” “meager,” or “insufficient.” Although “scranny” and “scrawny” resemble one another, they have different meanings: scranny focuses on small size or inadequate quantity, whereas scrawny normally focuses on extreme thinness.
adjectiveSmall in size or amount; meager or inadequate. The word is informal and often conveys a slightly disparaging or humorous impression.
- Small in physical size or amount.
- Meager, inadequate, or insufficient.
"We ordered a scranny portion of fries to share."
"The cabin had only a scranny bed and a tiny window."
"His explanation for the delay was scranny and unconvincing."
A scranny portion may be small, but saying it with a raised eyebrow can make a modest serving sound dramatic.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does scranny come from?
The precise origin of scranny is not securely established. It appears to have developed within informal North American English, probably in association with now-obsolete or regional forms related in sound and meaning to words for small or meager quantities. Its history is much less certain than that of standard synonyms such as scanty and meagre.
Related word forms
How scranny is actually used
Scranny is informal and chiefly used in North American English. It can describe something physically small, a quantity that is insufficient, or a result that is meager and disappointing.
Easily confused with scranny
Scranny means small, meager, or inadequate, while scrawny usually describes a person or animal as thin and bony.