Origin of dwarf
before 900; Middle English
dwerf, Old English
dweorh; replacing Middle English
dwerg, Old English
dweorg; cognate with Old High German
twerg, Old Norse
dvergr
synonym study for dwarf
1.
Dwarf,
midget,
pygmy are terms for a very small person. A
dwarf is someone checked in growth or stunted, or in some way not normally formed. A
midget (not in technical use) is someone perfect in form and normal in function, but diminutive. A
Pygmy is properly a member of one of certain small-sized peoples of Africa and Asia, but the word is often used imprecisely to mean dwarf or midget.
Dwarf is a term often used to describe very small plants.
Pygmy is used to describe very small animals.
OTHER WORDS FROM dwarf
dwarf·like, adjective dwarf·ness, noun un·dwarfed, adjectiveWords nearby dwarf
dw,
dwaal,
dwale,
dwam,
dwang,
dwarf,
dwarf banana,
dwarf bean,
dwarf chestnut,
dwarf cornel,
dwarf crested iris
Example sentences from the Web for dwarf
British Dictionary definitions for dwarf
dwarf
/ (dwɔːf) /
noun plural dwarfs or dwarves (dwɔːvz)
an abnormally undersized person, esp one with a large head and short arms and legs
Compare midget
- an animal or plant much below the average height for the species
- (as modifier)a dwarf tree
(in folklore) a small ugly manlike creature, often possessing magical powers
astronomy short for dwarf star
verb
to become or cause to become comparatively small in size, importance, etc
(tr)
to stunt the growth of
Derived forms of dwarf
dwarfish, adjective dwarfishly, adverb dwarfishness, nounWord Origin for dwarf
Old English
dweorg; related to Old Norse
dvergr, Old High German
twerc
Medical definitions for dwarf
dwarf
[ dwôrf ]
n. pl. dwarfs
An abnormally small person, often having limbs and features not properly proportioned or formed.
Scientific definitions for dwarf
dwarf
[ dwôrf ]
An abnormally small person, often having limbs and features atypically proportioned or formed.
An atypically small animal or plant.
A dwarf star or dwarf galaxy.