dwarf

1 of 3

noun

plural dwarfs ˈdwȯrfs How to pronounce dwarf (audio) also dwarves ˈdwȯrvz How to pronounce dwarf (audio)
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 adjective
dwarfishly adverb
dwarfishness noun
dwarflike adjective
dwarfness 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

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
The average storm hitting the U.S. contributes to the early deaths of 7,000 to 11,000 people over a 15-year period, which dwarfs the average of 24 immediate and direct deaths that the government counts in a hurricane’s aftermath, the study in Wednesday’s journal Nature concluded. Seth Borenstein, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2024 Within that catalog exists a vast array of planetary classes – small rocky worlds like our own, ocean worlds completely covered in liquid water, and gas giants that dwarf even Jupiter, among many others. Conor Feehly, Discover Magazine, 20 Sep. 2024
Adjective
Sternberg added a few other possibilities where space is limited: dwarf chinkapin oak (Quercus prinoides), 5-12 feet tall and wide, Zones 4-8; Georgia oak (Quercus georgiana), 26-50 feet tall, 15-30 feet wide, Zones 5-8; and Texas red oak (Quercus buckleyi), 20-50 feet tall and wide, Zones 6-11. Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Sep. 2024 Go for a dwarf or semi-dwarf plant, like an elegant mountain stewartia or a serviceberry, for a pop of color. Aksha Mittapalli, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dwarf 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dwarf.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of dwarf was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dwarf

Cite this Entry

“Dwarf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dwarf. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

dwarf

1 of 2 noun
plural dwarfs ˈdwȯ(ə)rfs How to pronounce dwarf (audio) also dwarves ˈdwȯ(ə)rvz How to pronounce dwarf (audio)
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 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
plural dwarfs ˈdwȯ(ə)rfs How to pronounce dwarf (audio) also dwarves ˈdwȯ(ə)rvz How to pronounce dwarf (audio)
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

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