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dwarf

 - 9 dictionary results
Dwarfism
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dwarf

  [dwawrf] noun, plural dwarfs, dwarves, adjective, verb
Use dwarf in a Sentence
–noun
1. a person of abnormally small stature owing to a pathological condition, esp. one suffering from cretinism or some other disease that produces disproportion or deformation of features and limbs.
2. an animal or plant much smaller than the average of its kind or species.
3. (in folklore) a being in the form of a small, often misshapen and ugly, man, usually having magic powers.
4. Astronomy. dwarf star.
–adjective
5. of unusually small stature or size; diminutive.
–verb (used with object)
6. to cause to appear or seem small in size, extent, character, etc., as by being much larger or better: He dwarfed all his rivals in athletic ability.
7. to make dwarf or dwarfish; prevent the due development of.
–verb (used without object)
8. to become stunted or smaller.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME dwerf, OE dweorh; r. ME dwerg, OE dweorg; c. OHG twerg, ON dvergr

Related forms:
dwarflike, adjective
dwarfness, noun

Synonyms:
1. Dwarf, midget, pygmy are terms for a very small person. A dwarf is someone checked in growth or stunted, or in some way not normally formed. A midget (not in technical use) is someone perfect in form and normal in function, but diminutive. A pygmy is properly a member of one of certain small-sized peoples of Africa and Asia, but the word is often used imprecisely to mean dwarf or midget. Dwarf is a term often used to describe very small plants. Pygmy is used to describe very small animals. 2. runt, miniature.

Antonyms:
1, 5. giant.
Dwarfism
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dwarf star

 
–noun Astronomy.
any of the ordinary main sequence stars, as those of spectral types O, B, A, F, G, K, and M.
Also called dwarf.
Compare white dwarf.

Origin:
1910–15
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To dwarf
dwarf   (dwôrf)   
n.   pl. dwarfs or dwarves (dwôrvz)

    1. An abnormally small person, often having limbs and features atypically proportioned or formed.

    2. An atypically small animal or plant.

  2. A small creature resembling a human, often ugly, appearing in legends and fairy tales.

  3. A dwarf star.

v.   dwarfed, dwarf·ing, dwarfs

v.   tr.

  1. To check the natural growth or development of; stunt: "The oaks were dwarfed from lack of moisture" (John Steinbeck).

  2. To cause to appear small by comparison: "Together these two big men dwarfed the tiny Broadway office" (Saul Bellow).

v.   intr.
To become stunted or grow smaller.

[Middle English dwerf, from Old English dweorh.]
dwarf'ish adj., dwarf'ish·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

dwarf 
O.E. dweorh, from P.Gmc. *dweraz, from PIE *dhwergwhos "something tiny." The mythological sense is from Ger., 1770. The verb meaning "to render dwarfish" is from 1626; that of "to cause to look small" is from 1850. The shift of the O.E. guttural at the end of the word to modern -f is typical (cf. enough, draft); O.E. pl. dweorgas became M.E. dwarrows, later leveled down to dwarfs. The use of dwarves for the legendary race is an innovation of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Financial Dictionary

Dwarf

A name given to a pool of mortgage-backed securities, issued by Fannie Mae, with a maturity of 15 years.

Investopedia Commentary

Fannie Mae is short for Federal National Mortgage Association.

See also: Fannie Mae, Maturity Date, Mortgage Backed Security

Investopedia.com. Copyright © 1999-2005 - All rights reserved. Owned and Operated by Investopedia Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1dwarf
Pronunciation: 'dwo(&)rf
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural dwarfs /'dwo(&)rfs/ also dwarves /'dwo(&)rvz/
often attributive 1 : a person of unusually small stature; especially : one whose bodily proportions are abnormal
2 : an animal much below normal size

Main Entry: 2dwarf
Function: transitive verb
: to restrict the growth of dwarfed by malnutrition>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

dwarf (dwôrf)
n. pl. dwarfs or dwarves (dwôrvz)
An abnormally small person, often having limbs and features not properly proportioned or formed.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Bible Dictionary

Dwarf

a lean or emaciated person (Lev. 21:20).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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