Pygmy — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /ˈpig-mē/ pyg·my

Meaning & Definition of Pygmy

Pygmy (noun)

  1. any of a race of dwarfs described by ancient Greek authors
  2. any of a small people of equatorial Africa ranging under five feet (1.5 meters) in height
  3. an unusually small person

Pygmy (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. of a size that is less than average

    "a pygmy elephant"

    similar: bantam, diminutive, dinky, dwarfish, fine, half-pint, Lilliputian, little, pint-size, pocket, pocket-size, puny, shrimpy, slight, small, smallish, subnormal, toylike, undersized
    related: dwarf, toy, runtish, runty, scrubby, stunted, bitty, inappreciable, infinitesimal, little bitty, micro, microscopic, mini, miniature, miniaturized, minikin, minim, minuscule, minute, pinpoint, teensy, teensy-weensy, teeny, teeny-weeny, tiny, wee, weeny, meager, poor, scant, scanty, scarce, skimp, skimpy, slender, slim, spare, sparse, stingy, deficient, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, wanting, bite-size, capsule
    opposite: big, biggish, considerable, goodly, grand, great, handsome, husky, king-size, large, largish, outsize, overscale, oversize, sizable, substantial, tidy, whacking, whopping
    near: bulky, hefty, hulking, massive, voluminous, boxcar, Brobdingnagian, Bunyanesque, cavernous, colossal, cyclopean, elephantine, enormous, galactic, gargantuan, giant, gigantic, gross, Himalayan, herculean, heroic, huge, humongous, immense, jumbo, leviathan, mammoth, monolithic, monstrous, monumental, mountainous, pharaonic, prodigious, staggering, stupendous, titanic, tremendous, vast, abundant, ample, appreciable, bountiful, copious, generous, healthy, liberal, plenteous, plentiful, fat, thick, broad, wide, boundless, cosmic, immeasurable, incalculable, infinite, adequate, enough, sufficient

Pygmy (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. something (such as an animal) much smaller than others of its kind

    "hummingbirds may be the pygmies of the avian world, but what they lack in size they make up for in beauty"

    similar: diminutive, dwarf, midget, mite, peewee, runt, scrub
    related: mini, miniature, toy
    opposite: behemoth, colossus, giant, jumbo, leviathan, mammoth, monster, titan
    near: whale, whopper

  2. a person of no importance or influence

    "regrettably, most of the candidates for the party's nomination that year were political pygmies"

    similar: cipher, dwarf, half-pint, insect, insignificancy, lightweight, morsel, nobody, nonentity, nothing, nullity, number, pip-squeak, snippersnapper, twerp, whippersnapper, zero, zilch
    related: no-name, noncelebrity, least, inferior, mediocrity, obscurity, figurehead, puppet, nonperson, unperson, outcast, pariah, reject
    opposite: big shot, big wheel, bigwig, eminence, figure, kahuna, kingpin, magnate, nabob, personage, somebody, VIP
    near: chief, head, lead, leader, celebrity, luminary, notable, personality, planet, star, superstar, authority, superior, great power, party, power

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Pygmy

The most common words with a similar meaning to Pygmy:

bantam, diminutive, dinky, dwarfish, fine, half-pint, Lilliputian, little, pint-size, pocket, pocket-size, puny, shrimpy, slight, small, smallish, subnormal, toylike, undersized, dwarf, midget, mite, peewee, runt, scrub, cipher, insect, insignificancy, lightweight, morsel, nobody, nonentity, nothing, nullity, number, pip-squeak, snippersnapper, twerp, whippersnapper, zero

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Pygmy

Words with the opposite meaning of Pygmy:

big, biggish, considerable, goodly, grand, great, handsome, husky, king-size, large, largish, outsize, overscale, oversize, sizable, substantial, tidy, whacking, whopping, behemoth, colossus, giant, jumbo, leviathan, mammoth, monster, titan, big shot, big wheel, bigwig

Related Words for Pygmy

toy, runtish, runty, scrubby, stunted, bitty, inappreciable, infinitesimal, little bitty, micro, microscopic, mini, miniature, miniaturized, minikin, minim, minuscule, minute, pinpoint, teensy, teensy-weensy, teeny, teeny-weeny, tiny, wee, weeny, meager, poor, scant, scanty

Near Antonyms of Pygmy

bulky, hefty, hulking, massive, voluminous, boxcar, Brobdingnagian, Bunyanesque, cavernous, colossal, cyclopean, elephantine, enormous, galactic, gargantuan, gigantic, gross, Himalayan, herculean, heroic, huge, humongous, immense, monolithic, monstrous, monumental, mountainous, pharaonic, prodigious, staggering

Word Forms of Pygmy

Inflections: pygmies, pigmies

Derived words: pygmy (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Pygmy

Middle English pigmei, from Latin pygmaeus of a pygmy, dwarfish, from Greek pygmaios, from pygmē fist, measure of length pungent

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Pygmy

pygmy chimpanzee, pygmy hippopotamus

Frequently Asked Questions about Pygmy

What does "Pygmy" mean?

"Pygmy" means any of a race of dwarfs described by ancient Greek authors. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: any of a race of dwarfs described by ancient Greek authors. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Pygmy"?

Other words for "Pygmy" include bantam, diminutive, dinky, dwarfish, fine, half-pint, Lilliputian and little. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Pygmy" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Pygmy"?

There are 99 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Pygmy". Common alternatives include bantam, diminutive, dinky, dwarfish, fine, half-pint, Lilliputian, little, pint-size and pocket.

What is the opposite of "Pygmy"?

Antonyms of "Pygmy" include big, biggish, considerable, goodly, grand, great, handsome and husky. Near antonyms include bulky, hefty, hulking and massive.

How do you use "Pygmy" in a sentence?

Examples of "Pygmy" in a sentence: "a pygmy elephant"; "hummingbirds may be the pygmies of the avian world, but what they lack in size they make up for in beauty"; "regrettably, most of the candidates for the party's nomination that year were political pygmies".

Is "Pygmy" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Pygmy" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Pygmy"?

"Pygmy" is pronounced /ˈpig-mē/ and divided into syllables as pyg·my.

What is the origin of the word "Pygmy"?

"Pygmy" comes from Middle English pigmei, from Latin pygmaeus of a pygmy, dwarfish, from Greek pygmaios, from pygmē fist, measure of length pungent. First known use: 14th century.