Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

beggarly

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.61 in modern English

Syllables: beg-gar-ly
IPA

15

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

In the manner of a beggar; poverty-stricken; mean; poor; contemptible.

adj

Fit for a beggar; occasioned by begging.

adj

inadequate or meagre.

adv

In an indigent, mean, or despicable manner; in the manner of a beggar.

Example Sentences

"beggarly fellow"
"beggarly rags"
"Beggarly sins, that is, those sins which idleness and beggary usually betray men to; such as lying, flattery, stealing, and dissimulation."

Etymology

From beggar + -ly; adverb via Middle English beggarly, beggerly.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: beggarly
Suffix: beggar

Inflected Forms

beggarlier (comparative) beggarliest (superlative) more beggarly (comparative) most beggarly (superlative)

Derived Forms

beggarliness unbeggarly

Synonyms

mean

Questions

What does beggarly mean?: In the manner of a beggar; poverty-stricken; mean; poor; contemptible.
Where does beggarly come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce beggarly

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