dwarf

Everyday

1. In fairy tales and fantasy, a dwarf is a small, strong, often bearded creature who lives in mountains and mines. tree →
2. As an adjective, dwarf means a much smaller kind of something: a dwarf tree, a dwarf planet. tree →
3. To dwarf something means to make it look very small by being much bigger. tree →
4. Dwarfism is a medical condition in which a person grows to a short height. tree →

In the lessons

In stories, dwarfs appear in «Snow White» and fantasy books, digging for gold. In science lessons Pluto is a dwarf planet, and a white dwarf is a small, dying star; gardeners grow dwarf apple trees. In everyday writing, «the skyscraper dwarfed the houses» means it made them look tiny. Phrases: «dwarf planet», «white dwarf», «red dwarf», «dwarfed by».

Examples

• Snow White lived with seven dwarfs. tree →
• Pluto is now called a dwarf planet. tree →
• A white dwarf is the hot core left after a star dies. tree →
• We planted a dwarf apple tree in a pot. tree →
• The giant ship dwarfed the little boats. tree →
• In the story the dwarves mined for gold. tree →
• Dwarf rabbits are very small pets. tree →
• The mountains dwarfed our tent. tree →

Note

Plural: «dwarfs» (standard, science) or «dwarves» (fantasy books). Respect: for real people with dwarfism, many prefer «a person of short stature» or «a little person»; using «dwarf» as a joke is hurtful. A dwarf planet orbits the Sun but has not cleared its path of other objects.

In Jewish tradition

A man with a very small, stunted body. Such a man could not serve as a priest.

Interpretation. The law of blemishes lists him among those priests who could not offer the sacrifices, though tradition says they still shared in the priestly food and holiness.

Examples

• or crook-backed, or a dwarf, or that hath his eye overspread, or is scabbed, or scurvy, or hath his stones crushed; (Torah LEV.21.20, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Plural: «dwarfs» (standard, science) or «dwarves» (fantasy books). Respect: for real people with dwarfism, many prefer «a person of short stature» or «a little person»; using «dwarf» as a joke is hurtful. A dwarf planet orbits the Sun but has not cleared its path of other objects.