undersize
Meaning
smaller than the usual or standard size.
to make or produce something in a size smaller than the standard.
Structure
Usage
the factory rejected the batch of undersize components.
some manufacturers deliberately undersize the product to cut costs.
he felt undersize compared to the other players on the team.
Etymology
The word 'undersize' is a Modern English compound formed by combining the native English prefix 'under-' with the noun 'size'. The prefix 'under-' derives from Old English 'under', itself from Proto-Germanic 'under-', meaning 'among' or 'beneath', a concept traceable to proto-indo-European 'n̥dʰér' meaning 'under'. The noun 'size' entered English via Anglo-French 'sise', a shortened form from the Old French past participle 'assise', meaning 'a sitting, session, or ordinance', which metaphorically evolved to mean 'a fixed allowance' and then 'magnitude'. This originates from Latin 'assidēre', meaning 'to sit beside'. The compound 'undersize' logically builds its meaning from its components, directly indicating a state or action of being 'below the standard or expected dimension'.
Analysis
under: old english; a prefix meaning 'beneath, below, or less than'. size: old french (from latin 'assidere' via anglo-french 'sise'); a noun root meaning 'dimension, magnitude, or extent'.