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.