dwarfism

Everyday

1. (medicine) A condition in which a person or animal grows much shorter than usual, often because of their genes. tree →
2. (science) In biology, «island dwarfism» is when animals on islands become small over many generations. tree →

In the lessons

In health lessons, dwarfism is a medical condition, not an illness to laugh at; many people with dwarfism prefer «little people» or «people of short stature»; in science, island dwarfism produced tiny elephants and hippos; phrases: «a person with dwarfism», «island dwarfism».

Examples

• Dwarfism is a medical condition that affects how tall a person grows. tree →
• People with dwarfism live full lives as actors, doctors, teachers and athletes. tree →
• Island dwarfism made some ancient elephants as small as ponies. tree →
• Some breeds of dog have a kind of dwarfism. tree →
• Our class learned that dwarfism is often caused by genes. tree →
• It is unkind to make jokes about someone's height. tree →

Note

Uncountable. Respectful words: «person with dwarfism», «little person», «person of short stature»; avoid «midget», which many find offensive. «Dwarf» is fine for stars and fairy tales (and plural dwarfs or dwarves).