— dwarflike , adj. — dwarfness , n.
/dwawrf/ , n. , pl. dwarfs, dwarves , adj. , v.
n.
1. a person of abnormally small stature owing to a pathological condition, esp. one suffering from cretinism or some other disease that produces disproportion or deformation of features and limbs.
2. an animal or plant much smaller than the average of its kind or species.
3. (in folklore) a being in the form of a small, often misshapen and ugly, man, usually having magic powers.
4. Astron. See dwarf star .
adj.
5. of unusually small stature or size; diminutive.
v.t.
6. to cause to appear or seem small in size, extent, character, etc., as by being much larger or better: He dwarfed all his rivals in athletic ability.
7. to make dwarf or dwarfish; prevent the due development of.
v.i.
8. to become stunted or smaller.
[ bef. 900; ME dwerf, OE dweorh; r. ME dwerg, OE dweorg; c. OHG twerg, ON dvergr ]
Syn. 1. DWARF, MIDGET, PYGMY are terms for a very small person. A DWARF is someone checked in growth or stunted, or in some way not normally formed. A MIDGET (not in technical use) is someone perfect in form and normal in function, but diminutive. A PYGMY is properly a member of one of certain small-sized peoples of Africa and Asia, but the word is often used imprecisely to mean dwarf or midget. DWARF is a term often used to describe very small plants. PYGMY is used to describe very small animals. 2. runt, miniature.
Ant. 1, 5. giant.