From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Pygmy \Pyg"my\, Pygmean \Pyg*me"an\, a. [L. pygmaeus. See
{Pygmy}.]
Of or pertaining to a pygmy; resembling a pygmy or dwarf;
dwarfish; very small. " Like that Pygmean race." --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
{Pygmy antelope} (Zool.), the kleeneboc.
{Pygmy goose} (Zool.), any species of very small geese of the
genus {Nettapus}, native of Africa, India, and Australia.
{Pygmy owl} (Zool.), the gnome.
{Pygmy parrot} (Zool.), any one of several species of very
small green parrots ({Nasitern[ae]}), native of New Guinea
and adjacent islands. They are not larger than sparrows.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Pygmy \Pyg"my\, n.; pl. {Pygmies}. [L. pygmaeus, Gr. ?, fr. ?
the fist, a measure of length, the distance from the elbow to
the knuckles, about 131 inches. Cf. {Pugnacious}, {Fist}.]
[Written also {pigmy}.]
1. (Class. Myth.) One of a fabulous race of dwarfs who waged
war with the cranes, and were destroyed.
[1913 Webster]
2. Hence, a short, insignificant person; a dwarf.
[1913 Webster]
3. One of a race of Central African Negritos found chiefly in
the great forests of the equatorial belt. They are the
shortest of known races, the adults ranging from less than
four to about five feet in stature. They are timid and
shy, dwelling in the recesses of the forests, though often
on good terms with neighboring Negroes.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Pygmies are pygmies still, though perched on Alps.
And pyramids are pyramids in vales. --Young.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
pygmy
n 1: an unusually small individual [syn: {pygmy}, {pigmy}]
2: any member of various peoples having an average height of
less than five feet [syn: {Pygmy}, {Pigmy}]
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