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midget

midget

124 9.9
An offensive word for a person much shorter than most people that should be avoided
  • noun
  • /ˈmɪdʒɪt/
  • Slur
translation icon : [término ofensivo para persona de baja estatura]
  • Harper and the midget were violent men; don't ask me why, I can't explain.
  • called a midget
  • circus midgets
  • dwarfs and midgets

It's like, oh, look at that cute little Midget or let's hang that Midget.

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Examples

  • One of them could be a midget.

  • I guess I'd have to go with the midget.

  • Do you know the difference between a midget, a dwarf, and a regular man?

    Fiction book (1992)
  • But something incredible came out of it, a wonderfully inquisitive, brutally honest midget of a man, her son Le'Shawn.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Despite the criticism of the term, he referred to himself as a midget with pride in his accomplishments.

  • She had a friend who identified as a midget, and they often discussed the challenges they faced together.

  • The show featured a character who was a midget, aiming to raise awareness about diversity and inclusion.

Synonyms

little person
vsmidget
75 5.9

A very short adult often because of a medical condition called dwarfism

is an older offensive label for those people and should be avoided
small person
vsmidget
5 1.8

A person who is shorter than most people and has a light build

refers specifically to people much smaller than average rather than anyone slightly small
titch
vsmidget
  • UK
1 9.9

A very small person, often a child

is a hostile offensive label to demean adults not a playful informal word
short-arse
vsmidget
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A rude word for someone who is shorter than other people

is an older offensive term rather than the coarse insult form
normal dwarf
vsmidget
  • Archaic
8.3

A person much shorter than average from a gene change, with usual body shape, thinking, and sexual growth

is an offensive term used insultingly rather than a neutral medical name
half-pint
vsmidget
  • Offensive
8.2

A rude name for a small or short person, often a child

is a harsher offensive label for adults rather than a mild child insult

Surface Forms

midget singular
midgets plural

Morphology

midget = midge (semi-transparent) = midge + et

Formed from 'midge' with the diminutive suffix '-et' so the sense 'small' is preserved, but the extension to label a person (now an offensive term) is figurative and specialized.

Etymology

Midget comes from midge ('very small insect') plus the ending -et ('small'), so it originally meant a very small person. Today the word is considered offensive when used for people and should be avoided.