dwarf

[dwɔːf]

[dwɔɹf]

Language▾

German

Persian

Russian

Spanish

A dwarf is an extremely short person.

You might hear people talking about dwarfs in fantasy movies or books. For example, in a story like J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit," there are these small human-like creatures called dwarfs who live in mountains and go on adventures. They're usually shorter than average humans. The word dwarf can also refer to something that's extremely short in comparison to other things of its kind. So, if a tree is considered a dwarf tree because it only grows a few feet tall, you know why they gave it that name.

How common is "dwarf"?

Word dwarf is considered uncommon in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

noun

Any member of a race of beings from (especially Scandinavian and other Germanic) folklore, usually depicted as having some sort of supernatural powers and being skilled in crafting and metalworking, often as short with long beards, and sometimes as clashing with elves.
A person of short stature, often one whose limbs are disproportionately small in relation to the body as compared with normal adults, usually as the result of a genetic condition.
An animal, plant or other thing much smaller than the usual of its sort.
Example: dwarf honeysuckle
A star of relatively small size.

1 / 4

midgetruntettingiant

verb

To render (much) smaller, turn into a dwarf (version).
To make appear (much) smaller, puny, tiny.
Example: The newly-built skyscraper dwarfs all older buildings in the downtown skyline.
To make appear insignificant.
Example: Bach dwarfs all other composers.
To become (much) smaller.
To hinder from growing to the natural size; to make or keep small; to stunt.