noun
pygmy
PIHG-mee
noun
1
A member of certain Central African peoples known for their notably short average height.
"Anthropologists have studied Pygmy communities in the Congo rainforest for decades."
adj
1
Unusually small for its kind, especially applied to animal breeds or varieties.
"The zoo's newest attraction is a pygmy hippopotamus."
How to Use Pygmy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRefers either to certain short-statured Central African peoples, or, as an adjective, to an unusually small variety of something.
Common pairings
pygmy hippo
pygmy goat
Word Forms
more pygmy comparative, pygmies plural, most pygmy superlative
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Etymology
From Greek pugmaios, related to pugme ("fist"), originally describing a legendary race said to be as tall as a fist.