dwarf

1 of 3

noun

ˈdwȯrf 

plural dwarfs ˈdwȯrfs  also dwarves ˈdwȯrvz 

often attributive

1

sometimes offensive : a person of unusually small stature (see stature sense 1)

especially : a person whose height does not exceed 4' 10" and is typically less than 4' 5"

2

: an animal or plant much below normal size

3

folklore : a small legendary manlike being who is usually misshapen and ugly and skilled as a craftsman

4

astronomy : a celestial object of comparatively small mass or size: such as

a

: a star of ordinary or low luminosity

The outer layers of a swollen elderly red giant star were pouring onto the photosphere of a vigorous … yellow dwarf, something like the Sun.

—Carl Sagan

compare giant sense 4, supergiant

b

: a galaxy containing a relatively low number of stars

Harlow Shapley discovered the first examples of dwarf satellite galaxies in 1938, one in the constellation Sculptor and one in Fornax.

—Astronomy

5

: an insignificant person

a literary dwarf

dwarfish

ˈdwȯr-fish 

adjective

dwarfishly adverb

dwarfishness noun

dwarflike

ˈdwȯrf-ˌlīk 

adjective

dwarfness

ˈdwȯrf-nəs 

noun

dwarf

2 of 3

verb

dwarfed; dwarfing; dwarfs

transitive verb

1

: to cause to appear smaller or to seem inferior

dwarfed by his older brother

has dwarfed the achievements of her predecessors

2

: to restrict the growth of : stunt

children dwarfed by malnutrition

intransitive verb

: to become smaller

dwarf

3 of 3

adjective

of a plant

: low-growing in habit

a dwarf peach tree

dwarfer forms of citrus

Synonyms

Noun

• diminutive
• midget
• mite
• peewee
• pygmy
• pigmy
• runt
• scrub
• shrimp
• Tom Thumb

Verb

• stunt
• suppress

Examples of dwarf in a Sentence

Noun

Shetland ponies are the dwarfs of the horse world.

Snow White and the seven dwarfs.

Verb

shrubs dwarfed by the lack of water

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Emperor tamarins are dwarf monkeys with whiskers that resemble a white moustache. —Robert Higgs, cleveland, 1 Feb. 2023

The dwarf variety grows to be about 5 to 7 feet, ideal for a small garden or accent in a room with limited space. —Bryce Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Jan. 2023

Verb

American private sector investment in Asian countries with the region’s largest economies dwarfs that of any other country, and the United States is the primary destination for foreign direct investment from all major economies in Asia (except China). —Michael Green, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024

His lawsuit against the church roughly 20 years ago was among 56 that settled for an average of $1 million — an amount dwarfing the diocese’s most recent proposal, particularly when accounting for inflation. —Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024

Adjective

Breeders can plant the trees closer together to make test plots more efficient, and boughs grafted to a dwarf rootstock start producing apples two to three years earlier than those grafted to a traditional rootstock. —Laura Helmuth, Scientific American, 24 Oct. 2024

Dwarf Conifers Just like Japanese maple, dwarf conifers such as dwarf Alberta spruce (shown here) come in a range of shapes, sizes, and colors. —Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Verb, and Adjective

Middle English dwerg, dwerf, from Old English dweorg, dweorh; akin to Old High German twerg dwarf

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1623, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Adjective

1548, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dwarf

1 of 2 noun

ˈdwȯ(ə)rf 

plural dwarfs ˈdwȯ(ə)rfs  also dwarves ˈdwȯ(ə)rvz 

1

sometimes offensive : a person of unusually small stature

2

: an animal or plant that is much below normal size

3

: a small legendary being usually pictured as a deformed and ugly person

4

: a star (as the sun) that in comparison to other stars gives off an ordinary or small amount of energy and has small mass and size

dwarf adjective

dwarfish

ˈdwȯr-fish 

adjective

dwarfness noun

dwarf

2 of 2 verb

1

: to restrict the growth or development of : stunt

2

: to cause to appear smaller

Medical Definition

dwarf

1 of 2 noun

ˈdwȯ(ə)rf 

plural dwarfs ˈdwȯ(ə)rfs  also dwarves ˈdwȯ(ə)rvz 

often attributive

1

sometimes offensive : a person of unusually small stature

especially : a person whose height does not exceed 4 feet 10 inches (1.47 meters) and is typically less than 4 feet 5 inches (1.35 meters)

2

: an animal much below normal size

dwarf

2 of 2 transitive verb

: to restrict the growth of : stunt