Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A mean, vindictive spirit.
  • noun The state of being mean in grade or quality; want of dignity or distinction; commonness; poorness; rudeness.
  • noun Want of mental elevation or dignity, destitution of spirit or honor; contemptibleness; baseness.
  • noun Sordid illiberality; stinginess; over-selfish economy in small things; niggardliness.
  • noun Synonyms Abjectness, lowness, lowliness, scantiness. slenderness. See abject.
  • noun 2 and Littleness, Meanness, illiberality, sordidness, penuriousness, closeness, miserliness. Littleness applies to more than meanness applies to, as the understanding and the affections; it is the opposite of all largeness of nature, and especially of magnanimity. Meanness is directly selfish, but in a sordid, groveling, pinching fashion; it is the opposite of nobleness and generosity. See penuriousness.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The condition, or quality, of being mean; want of excellence; poorness; lowness; baseness; sordidness; stinginess.
  • noun A mean act.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun uncountable The condition, or quality, of being mean; want of excellence; poorness; lowness; baseness; sordidness; stinginess.
  • noun A mean act; as, to be guilty of a meanness.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun extreme stinginess
  • noun the quality of being deliberately mean

Etymologies

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