Pygmy — Pyg my, Pygmean Pyg*me an, a. [L. pygmaeus. See {Pygmy}.] Of or pertaining to a pygmy; resembling a pygmy or dwarf; dwarfish; very small. Like that Pygmean race. Milton. [1913 Webster] {Pygmy antelope} (Zo[ o]l.), the kleeneboc. {Pygmy goose}… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Pygmy — Pyg my, n.; pl. {Pygmies}. [L. pygmaeus, Gr. ?, fr. ? the fist, a measure of length, the distance from the elbow to the knuckles, about 131 inches. Cf. {Pugnacious}, {Fist}.] [Written also {pigmy}.] 1. (Class. Myth.) One of a fabulous race of… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
pygmy — *dwarf, midget, manikin, homunculus, runt … New Dictionary of Synonyms
pygmy — is derived from a Greek word pygmē meaning ‘the length of the forearm’ and largely for this reason the spelling with y is preferable to the form pigmy … Modern English usage
pygmy — (also pigmy) ► NOUN (pl. pygmies) 1) a member of certain peoples of very short stature in equatorial Africa. 2) chiefly derogatory a very small person or thing. 3) a person who is deficient in a particular respect: intellectual pygmies. ►… … English terms dictionary
Pygmy — [pig′mē] n. pl. Pygmies [ME pigmey < L pygmaeus < Gr pygmaios, of the length of the pygmē, forearm and fist, also fist: see PUGNACIOUS] 1. any of several groups of small African or Asian peoples described in ancient history and legend 2. a… … English World dictionary
Pygmy — pygmoid, adj. pygmyish, adj. pygmyism, n. /pig mee/, n., pl. Pygmies, adj. n. 1. Anthropol. a. a member of a small statured people native to equatorial Africa. b. a Negrito of southeastern Asia, or of the Andaman or Philippine islands. 2. (l.c.)… … Universalium
pygmy — 1. noun a) (often capitalized, usually in the plural: Pygmies) A member of one of various Ancient Equatorial African tribal peoples, notable for their very short stature The Bantu immigration drove many Pygmy tribes into the darkest jungle, while … Wiktionary
pygmy — pyg|my1 , pigmy [ˈpıgmi] n plural pygmies [Date: 1300 1400; : Latin; Origin: pygmaeus very small in height , from Greek, from pygme fist (as a unit of length) ] 1.) also Pygmy someone … Dictionary of contemporary English
pygmy — [[t]pɪ̱gmi[/t]] pygmies also pigmy 1) ADJ: ADJ n Pygmy means belonging to a species of animal which is the smallest of a group of related species. Reaching a maximum height of 56cm the pygmy goat is essentially a pet. 2) N COUNT A pygmy is a… … English dictionary
