pygmy

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: Pyg=my

CIDE DICTIONARY

pygmy, a. [L. pygmaeus. See Pygmy.].

 Of or pertaining to a pygmy; resembling a pygmy or dwarf; dwarfish; very small.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

Pygmy antelope (Zoöl.), the kleeneboc. -- Pygmy goose (Zoöl.), any species of very small geese of the genus Nettapus, native of Africa, India, and Australia. -- Pygmy owl (Zoöl.), the gnome. -- Pygmy parrot (Zoöl.), any one of several species of very small green parrots (Nasiternæ), native of New Guinea and adjacent islands. They are not larger than sparrows.

pygmy, n. [L. pygmaeus, Gr. , fr. the fist, a measure of length, the distance from the elbow to the knuckles, about 131 inches. Cf. Pugnacious, Fist.].

•  One of a fabulous race of dwarfs who waged war with the cranes, and were destroyed.  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence, a short, insignificant person; a dwarf.  [1913 Webster]
•  One of a race of Central African Negritos found chiefly in the great forests of the equatorial belt. They are the shortest of known races, the adults ranging from less than four to about five feet in stature. They are timid and shy, dwelling in the recesses of the forests, though often on good terms with neighboring Negroes.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

  "Pygmies are pygmies still, though perched on Alps.
  And pyramids are pyramids in vales."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

pygmy, n. (also pigmy) (pl. -ies)
1 a member of a dwarf people of equatorial Africa and parts of SE Asia.
2 a very small person, animal, or thing.
3 an insignificant person.
4 (attrib.) a of or relating to pygmies. b (of a person, animal, etc.) dwarf.

Derivative

pygmaean adj. pygmean adj.

Etymology

ME f. L pygmaeus f. Gk pugmaios dwarf f. pugme the length from elbow to knuckles, fist

THESAURUS

pygmy

American Indian, Amerind, Australian aborigine, Bushman, Caucasian, Indian, Lilliputian, Malayan, Mister Charley, Mongolian, Negrillo, Negrito, Negro, Oriental, Red Indian, Tom Thumb, WASP, bitsy, black, black man, blackfellow, boy, brown man, brownie, burrhead, colored person, coon, darky, diminutive, dumpy, dwarf, dwarfed, dwarfish, elf, elfin, gnome, gook, homunculus, honky, incipient, jigaboo, jungle bunny, lilliputian, manikin, meager, midge, midget, minikin, nanoid, nigger, niggra, ofay, paleface, peewee, pip-squeak, pocket-size, red man, redskin, rudimental, rudimentary, runt, runty, scraggy, scrubby, shrimp, shriveled, shrunk, shrunken, slant-eye, spade, squat, stunted, the Man, undersize, undersized, wart, white, white man, whitey, wizened, yellow man

ROGET THESAURUS

pygmy

Littleness

N littleness, smallness, exiguity, inextension, parvitude, parvity, duodecimo, Elzevir edition, epitome, microcosm, rudiment, vanishing point, thinness, dwarf, pygmy, pigmy, Liliputian, chit, pigwidgeon, urchin, elf, atomy, dandiprat, doll, puppet, Tom Thumb, Hop-o'-my-thumb, manikin, mannikin, homunculus, dapperling, cock-sparrow, animalcule, monad, mite, insect, emmet, fly, midge, gnat, shrimp, minnow, worm, maggot, entozoon, bacteria, infusoria, microzoa, phytozoaria, microbe, grub, tit, tomtit, runt, mouse, small fry, millet seed, mustard seed, barleycorn, pebble, grain of sand, molehill, button, bubble, point, atom, fragment, powder, point of a pin, mathematical point, minutiae, micrometer, vernier, scale, microphotography, photomicrography, micrography, photomicrograph, microphotograph, microscopy, microscope (optical instruments), little, small, minute, diminutive, microscopic, microzoal, inconsiderable, exiguous, puny, tiny, wee, petty, minikin, miniature, pygmy, pigmy, elfin, undersized, dwarf, dwarfed, dwarfish, spare, stunted, limited, cramp, cramped, pollard, Liliputian, dapper, pocket, portative, portable, duodecimo, dumpy, squat, short, impalpable, intangible, evanescent, imperceptible, invisible, inappreciable, insignificant, inconsiderable, trivial, infinitesimal, homoeopathic, atomic, subatomic, corpuscular, molecular, rudimentary, rudimental, embryonic, vestigial, weazen, scant, scraggy, scrubby, thin, granular, shrunk, brevipennate, in a small compass, in a nutshell, on a small scale, minutely, microscopically, littleness, smallness, exiguity, inextension, parvitude, parvity, duodecimo, Elzevir edition, epitome, microcosm, rudiment, vanishing point, thinness, dwarf, pygmy, pigmy, Liliputian, chit, pigwidgeon, urchin, elf, atomy, dandiprat, doll, puppet, Tom Thumb, Hop-o'-my-thumb, manikin, mannikin, homunculus, dapperling, cock-sparrow, animalcule, monad, mite, insect, emmet, fly, midge, gnat, shrimp, minnow, worm, maggot, entozoon, bacteria, infusoria, microzoa, phytozoaria, microbe, grub, tit, tomtit, runt, mouse, small fry, millet seed, mustard seed, barleycorn, pebble, grain of sand, molehill, button, bubble, point, atom, fragment, powder, point of a pin, mathematical point, minutiae, micrometer, vernier, scale, microphotography, photomicrography, micrography, photomicrograph, microphotograph, microscopy, microscope (optical instruments), little, small, minute, diminutive, microscopic, microzoal, inconsiderable, exiguous, puny, tiny, wee, petty, minikin, miniature, pygmy, pigmy, elfin, undersized, dwarf, dwarfed, dwarfish, spare, stunted, limited, cramp, cramped, pollard, Liliputian, dapper, pocket, portative, portable, duodecimo, dumpy, squat, short, impalpable, intangible, evanescent, imperceptible, invisible, inappreciable, insignificant, inconsiderable, trivial, infinitesimal, homoeopathic, atomic, subatomic, corpuscular, molecular, rudimentary, rudimental, embryonic, vestigial, weazen, scant, scraggy, scrubby, thin, granular, shrunk, brevipennate, in a small compass, in a nutshell, on a small scale, minutely, microscopically.