Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

scrawny

/ˈskɹɔni/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.71 in modern English

Syllables: scrawny
IPA: /ˈskɹɔni/

15

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Thin, malnourished, and weak.

Example Sentences

"“Tell him, in these words, that I will have his scrawny bones before me now. Tell him, Byar, and bring him if you must arrest him and those filthy wretches who disgrace the Children. Go.”"

Etymology

A variant of dialectal scranny (“thin; lean; scraggy; poor; scanty; of inferior quality”), perhaps from Old Norse skran (“rubbish; junk”) + -y. Compare Norwegian skran (“lean, thin, skinny”), English scrannel (“lean; meager; poor; worthless”). Alternatively, perhaps from Old Norse skrælna (“to be shrivelled”).

Origin

Source language: Old Norse

Word Breakdown

Root: skran, skrælna
Suffix: y

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈskɹɔni/
British English: /ˈskɹɔːni/

Inflected Forms

scrawnier (comparative) scrawniest (superlative) scranny (alternative, dialectal)

Derived Forms

scrawnily scrawniness

Phrases

scrawny drink of water thin person

Frequently Paired Words

scran slender thin person

Synonyms

angular anorexic carrion emaciated gangling gangly gaunt haggard stringy macilent lank lanky

Antonyms

heavy large obese overweight strapping

Rhymes With

connie lonnie shawnee brawny tawney kewaunee molony ciani mauney swaney garmany barany

Questions

How do you pronounce scrawny?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈskɹɔni/.
What does scrawny mean?: Thin, malnourished, and weak.
Where does scrawny come from?: It is traced to Old Norse.

How to pronounce scrawny

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “scrawny”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈskɹɔni/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “scrawny”.
Repeat and practice — Say “scrawny” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.