Pygmy

/ˈpɪɡmi/ · noun

Meaning

(often capitalized) A member of one of various Ancient Equatorial African tribal peoples, notable for their very short stature..

Definitions by Sense

1. (often capitalized) A member of one of various Ancient Equatorial African tribal peoples, notable for their very short stature.
2. (Greek mythology) A member of a race of dwarfs.
3. (figuratively, derogatory, offensive) Any dwarfish person or thing.
4. (figuratively, derogatory, offensive) An insignificant person, at least in some respect.
5. Relating or belonging to the Pygmy people.
6. Like a pygmy; unusually short or small for its kind.

Example Sentences

I've seen unicorns in Burma and a yeti in Nepal; / and I've danced with ten-foot Pygmies in a Montezuma Hall.

Although Pygmies are relatively protected against gene flow from other populations, many Pygmy tribes show extensive gene replacement and few have remained relatively unaltered.

Ctesias lived in Persia for several years, as the personal physician of King Ataxerxes II, and would have had contact with travellers to India, and Indian visitors to Persia. He describes dog-headed humans, pygmy men who grow their beards so long that they can be used as clothes, and affirms that it never rains in India.

It was so high up that the people walking about in the street below looked like pygmies.

On the world stage Germany is an economic giant but a political pygmy, Britain in comparison a political giant but an economic pygmy.

Amongst foodgrains, as we travelled from the green South and East towards the dry North and West, the pygmy crop of rice gave way to the tall bajra and jowar.

Synonyms for pygmy

Antonyms for pygmy

Related Words

Word Forms

• pygmies
• pigmy
• more pygmy
• most pygmy

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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