What does "pygmy" mean?
A member of one of various Ancient Equatorial African tribal peoples, notable for their very short stature.
Pygmy
/ˈpɪɡmi/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A member of one of various Ancient Equatorial African tribal peoples, notable for their very short stature.
- Grammar: pygmy is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: american indian, amerind, australian aborigine, bitsy.
- Useful contrasts: brobdingnagian, big thing, ettin.
- Usage evidence: A pygmy is something that is a very small example of its type.
How to use "pygmy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pygmy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pygmy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pygmy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pygmy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pygmy" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "american indian" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pygmy", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A member of one of various Ancient Equatorial African tribal peoples, notable for their very short stature. capitalized, often
"Although Pygmies are relatively protected against gene flow from other populations, many Pygmy tribes show extensive gene replacement and few have remained relatively unaltered."
- 2 any member of various peoples having an average height of less than five feet wordnet
- 3 A member of a race of dwarfs. Greek
"Ctesias lived in Persia for several years, as the personal physician of King Ataxerxes II, and would have had contact with travellers to India, and Indian visitors to Persia. He describes dog-headed humans, pygmy men who grow their beards so long that they can be used as clothes, and affirms that it never rains in India."
- 4 an unusually small individual wordnet
- 5 Any dwarfish person or thing. derogatory, figuratively, offensive
"It was so high up that the people walking about in the street below looked like pygmies."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 An insignificant person, at least in some respect. derogatory, figuratively, offensive
"On the world stage Germany is an economic giant but a political pygmy, Britain in comparison a political giant but an economic pygmy."
Adjective
- 1 Relating or belonging to the Pygmy people.
- 2 Like a pygmy; unusually short or small for its kind.
"Amongst foodgrains, as we travelled from the green South and East towards the dry North and West, the pygmy crop of rice gave way to the tall bajra and jowar."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"A pygmy is something that is a very small example of its type."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pygmy"?
Common synonyms include: american indian, amerind, australian aborigine, bitsy, black, black man.
How do you use "pygmy" in a sentence?
A pygmy is something that is a very small example of its type.
How do you pronounce "pygmy"?
Pronounced /ˈpɪɡmi/.
Etymology
From Latin Pygmaeī, from Ancient Greek πυγμαῖος (pugmaîos, “a member of a race of dwarves”), from πυγμή (pugmḗ, “fist (as small as a fist)”).