Pygmy definition
(greek mythology) A member of a race of dwarfs.
noun
A member of any of various peoples, especially of equatorial Africa and parts of Southeast Asia, having an average height less than 5 feet (1.5 meters).
noun
A member of any of several groups of African or Asian peoples of small stature described in ancient history and legend.
noun
A member of any of several modern African (Negrillo) and Asian (Negrito) peoples of small stature.
noun
Unusually or atypically small.
adjective
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Any person, animal, or plant abnormally undersized; dwarf.
noun
An insignificant person or thing.
noun
Very small.
adjective
Insignificant.
adjective
The Bantu immigration drove many Pygmy tribes into the darkest jungle, while other Pygmies were reduced to cohabitation in a subservient status.
noun
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(figuratively) Any dwarfish person.
Everyone looked like Pygmies whenever giant Joe joined his classmates.
noun
(figuratively) An insignificant person, at least in some respect.
Despite his towering stature, the minister proved a political pygmy.
noun
Relating or belonging to the Pygmy people.
adjective
Like a pygmy; unusually short or small for its kind.
Soil exhaustion ultimately produces a pygmy crop at best.
adjective
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Of or relating to the Pygmies.
adjective
An individual of unusually small size.
noun
An individual considered to be of little or no importance.
Political pygmies.
noun
Unimportant; trivial.
adjective
Of the Pygmies.
adjective
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Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
pygmy
Plural:
pygmiesOrigin of pygmy
- Middle English pigmie from Latin Pygmaeī the Pygmies from Greek Pugmaioi from pugmē cubit, fist peuk- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Ancient Greek Πυγμαῖος (Pugmaios, “a member of a race of dwarves"), from πυγμή (pugmÄ“, “fist (as small as a fist)")
From Wiktionary