variants
also pigmy
plural pygmies
1
: a member of a group of very small people who live in Africa
2
disapproving
: a person who is regarded as very weak, stupid, etc.
an intellectual pygmy
variants
also pigmy
always used before a noun
biology
—used to describe a type of plant or animal that is smaller than the usual size
a pygmy elephant
Cite this Entry
“Pygmy.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/pygmy. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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