pygmy

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled pigmies and pigmy

US /ˈpɪɡmi/ UK /ˈpɪɡmi/ See IPA manual

Freq #30572

Meanings

1

adj
unusually small for its kind, especially in the common name of an animal or plant

A pygmy owl watched from a branch above the trail.
2

noun
a person, animal, plant, or thing much smaller than others of its kind; potentially offensive when applied to a person

Beside the giant trees, the young pine looked like a pygmy.
3

noun
usually Pygmy: a broad and sometimes contested name for a member of any of several Indigenous peoples of Central Africa

The museum revised its label to name the specific community rather than simply calling the person a Pygmy.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · unusually small for its... dwarf miniature

2 noun · a person, animal, plant, or... dwarf miniature

Opposites

giant

Word family

Derived forms pygmyishpygmyism

Related forms pygmoidminiature

Etymology

Via Latin Pygmaei from Greek Pygmaioi, a mythical people said to be a cubit high, from pygme 'fist' or 'distance from elbow to knuckles'. The name later broadened to unusually small beings and was applied as an umbrella ethnonym to several Central African peoples; that use can be imprecise or unwelcome.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# pygmy

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈpɪɡmi/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈpɪɡmi/
**Frequency rank:** 30572

## Meanings
1. unusually small for its kind, especially in the common name of an animal or plant
2. a person, animal, plant, or thing much smaller than others of its kind; potentially offensive when applied to a person
3. usually Pygmy: a broad and sometimes contested name for a member of any of several Indigenous peoples of Central Africa

## Examples
- A pygmy owl watched from a branch above the trail.
- Beside the giant trees, the young pine looked like a pygmy.
- The museum revised its label to name the specific community rather than simply calling the person a Pygmy.

## Synonyms
- dwarf
- miniature

## Antonyms
- giant

## Derived Forms
- pygmyish
- pygmyism

## Related Forms
- pygmoid
- miniature

## Etymology
Via Latin Pygmaei from Greek Pygmaioi, a mythical people said to be a cubit high, from pygme 'fist' or 'distance from elbow to knuckles'. The name later broadened to unusually small beings and was applied as an umbrella ethnonym to several Central African peoples; that use can be imprecise or unwelcome.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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