mean'un
A mean one: an ornery person, kid, or critter.
Also called mean one, mean un.
Updated September 24, 2026
mean'un pronunciation
/MEE-nun/
Meaning
Short for "mean one." You slap it on anybody (or anything) with a rough temper: a hard-to-handle kid, a bull that will take a run at you, a drunk neighbor itching for a fight. Same clipped pattern as young'un and good'un. Tone can be a straight warning or a half-admiring shake of the head, depending on how bad they are.
How folks use it
- “Watch that dog. He's a mean'un if you get near the truck.”
- “She's a sweet girl most days, but when she's tired she's a mean'un.”
Origin and etymology
Built from mean plus 'un, the Appalachian and Southern reduction of one. That 'un ending shows up all over mountain talk (big'un, that'un, young'un) and traces back to older British dialects that settlers kept. Mean'un is just the mean-tempered member of that family.
Frequently asked questions
Is a mean'un always a person?
No. Folks also call mean animals, storms, and other hard cases a mean'un.