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Glite Dictionary
hop-o'-my-thumb

hop-o'-my-thumb

9.9
A very small clever boy in a fairy tale who solves problems
  • noun
  • Literature
translation icon : pulgarcito
  • In the story, hop-o'-my-thumb cleverly tricks a giant to save his brothers.

Examples

  • The fairy tale of hop-o'-my-thumb has been retold for generations.

  • He wore a costume as hop-o'-my-thumb in the school play.

  • Many European cultures have their own version of hop-o'-my-thumb legends.

  • The story of hop-o'-my-thumb has been told for generations.

  • Have you ever heard about hop-o'-my-thumb?

  • As a child, I loved reading tales about hop-o'-my-thumb and his adventures.

  • The character of hop-o'-my-thumb is known for his intelligence despite his small size.

Synonyms

Tom Thumb
vshop-o'-my-thumb
  • Literature
8.5

A tiny imaginary boy from English stories

uses cleverness to overcome problems rather than focusing on physical smallness

Surface Forms

hop-o'-my-thumb singular
hop-o'-my-thumbs plural

Etymology

Hop-o'-my-thumb comes from an old folk-tale name that plays on hop, o', and thumb, where thumb makes you think of someone 'as small as a thumb'. A helpful way to remember it is to imagine a clever little boy who 'hops' and uses his small size to trick grown-ups, which is why the name means a very small but smart character in stories.