■ noun ( plural ~s or dwarves )
1》 a member of a mythical race of short, stocky human-like creatures, skilled in mining and metalworking.
2》 an abnormally small person.
↘[as modifier ] denoting an animal or plant that is much smaller than is usual for its type or species.
3》 (also ~ star ) Astronomy a star of relatively small size and low luminosity.
■ verb cause to seem small in comparison.
↘stunt the growth of.
Derivatives
~ish adjective
Origin
OE dweorg , dweorh , of Gmc origin.
Usage
In the sense ‘an abnormally small person’, ~ is normally considered offensive. However, there are no accepted alternatives in the general language, since terms such as person of restricted growth have gained little currency.