dwarf - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

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dwarf:

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Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
dwarf/dwɔːf/

▶noun (pl. dwarfs 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 dwarf star) Astronomy a star of relatively small size and low luminosity.

▶verb cause to seem small in comparison.

■ stunt the growth of.

– derivatives
dwarfish adjective.

– origin OE dweorg, dweorh, of Gmc origin.

usage: In the sense ‘an abnormally small person’, dwarf 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.

'dwarf' also found in these Oxford entries:

aubretia - bearberry - bilberry - blueberry - bog rosemary - brown dwarf - chaparajos - chaparral - cloudberry - collapsar - corgi - cornel - cranberry - crowberry - dik-dik - dwarf planet - dweeb - flare star - goblin - greasewood - grig - heath - kidney bean - kokanee - manzanita - nano- - pug - pygmy - red dwarf - scrub oak - soldanella - subshrub - tom thumb - troll - waxpod - white dwarf - whitlow grass

Forum discussions with the word(s) "dwarf" in the title:

elf/dwarf
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