noun

dwarf

dwawf

noun

A person, animal, or plant much smaller than typical for its kind.

"The greenhouse specialised in dwarf fruit trees."

In folklore, a small humanlike being often skilled in crafting and mining.

"In the story, a dwarf forged the hero's sword."

verb

To make something appear much smaller by comparison.

"The new skyscraper dwarfs every other building in the city."

How to Use Dwarf

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSomething much smaller than usual, a mythical small being, or (as a verb) to make something look tiny by comparison.

Common mistake

When referring to a person of short stature due to a medical condition, "little person" is generally preferred today over "dwarf" as a noun for a person.

Common pairings

dwarf star dwarf tree dwarf someone/something (make it look small)

Word Forms

dwarfer comparative, dwarfed past tense, dwarfs plural, dwarves plural, dwarfs singular, dwarfest superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

The greenhouse specialised in _____ fruit trees.

Etymology

From Old English dweorg, going back to a very old Germanic word for a small, sometimes magical, being.

Rhymes for dwarf

arf barf scarf wharf

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