ETYM Latin pygmaeus, Greek, from pygmaios the fist, a measure of length, the distance from the elbow to the knuckles, about 131 inches. Related to Pugnacious, Fist.
1. A person of small stature, belonging to certain African ethnic groups, originally living in the equatorial forests; SYN. pigmy.
2. An unusually small individual; SYN. pigmy.

(sometimes Negrillo) Member of any of several groups of small-statured, dark-skinned peoples of the rain forests of equatorial Africa. They were probably the aboriginal inhabitants of the region, before the arrival of farming peoples from elsewhere. They live nomadically in small groups, as hunter-gatherers; they also trade with other, settled people in the area.Any member of various peoples having an average height of less than five feet; Also called: Pigmy.