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runt

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runt of the litter

 

1. Lit. the smallest animal born in a litter; the animal in a litter least likely to survive. No one wanted to buy the runt of the litter, so we kept it.

2. and the runt of the family Fig. the smallest child in the family. I was the runt of the litter and the butt of all the jokes.

See also: litter, of, runt

runt

n. a small person; someone whose growth has been stunted. (Also a rude term of address.) He can’t play basketball. He’s just a runt.