Weeny

/ˈwiːni/ adjective

Definition

very small, tiny, or insignificant; also a spelling variant of 'weenie' (a hot dog or sausage).

Etymology

From 'wee' (small) + '-y' (adjective suffix). 'Wee' comes from Old English 'wege' meaning small. The 'weenie' spelling for hot dog may relate to dachshund dogs.

Kelly Says

The word 'weenie' for hot dog is basically a joke—the sausage looks like a little dog! This kind of linguistic humor (called 'reanalysis') shows how playful language-users are; we rename things based on their shape or appearance.

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