I. ˈdwȯ(ə)r]f, -ȯ(ə)] noun
( plural dwarfs ]fs ; or dwarves ]vz)
Etymology: Middle English dwerg, dwerf, from Old English dweorg, dweorh; akin to Old Frisian dwerch dwarf, Old High German twerg, Old Norse dvergr, and perhaps to Sanskrit dhvaras demon, dhvarati he bends, injures — more at fraud
1.
a. : an abnormally small person ; especially : one of markedly atypical proportions
b. : a person of small or negligible powers or endowments
a literary dwarf … writing in something that resembles, however inadequately, your style — Osbert Sitwell
2. : an animal or plant much below the normal size of its species or kind: as
a. : a small fruit tree reaching a height at maturity of as little as four or five feet and bearing early but normal fruit
b. : a plant of abnormally small size developed by root pruning, starving, pruning of leaders, or other measures that restrict growth
3. : a legendary manlike being of small stature usually misshapen and ugly and skilled as an artificer
4. also dwarf star : a star (as the sun) of ordinary or low luminosity and relatively small mass and size
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1.
a. : to make dwarf in size : stunt in growth
malnutrition had dwarfed these children
an arid climate dwarfing oaks into mere shrubs
specifically : to make (a plant) dwarf by grafting a scion of standard size to a dwarf stock
b. : to cause the intellectual or moral development of (a person) to be hindered or stunted
incessant repetition of the same handwork dwarfs the man — R.W.Emerson
2. : to cause to appear smaller or inferior in any way in relation to some other individual or thing
dwarfed the chair in which he sat
dwarf the achievements of his predecessors
intransitive verb
: to become dwarf
III. adjective
( -er/-est )
1. of a plant or animal : extremely small as contrasted with related species or varieties
2. : resembling a dwarf : characterized by smallness or insignificance of size, proportion, scope, strength, or power : diminutive
the farmer on a dwarf holding … must supplement his income by working off his own land — J.M.Mogey
what is man but a species … dominant over other species on a dwarf planet — W.R.Inge
IV. noun
also dwarf disease
( -s )
: any of various diseases of plants characterized by shortened internodes and generally reduced size of the plants
rice dwarf is a virus disease known chiefly from Japan