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dwarf Definition

dwarf (dwôrf)

noun pl. dwarfs or dwarves (dwôrvz)

  1. any human being, animal, or plant that is much smaller than the usual one of its species
  2. Folklore a little being in human form, usually ugly or malformed, to whom magic powers are attributed
  3. a star of relatively small size or mass and low luminosity

Etymology: ME dwerf, dwergh < OE dweorg, akin to Ger zwerg < IE *dhwergh-, prob. < base *dhwer-, to trick, injure > Sans dhvarati, (he) injures

transitive verb

  1. to keep from growing to full natural size
  2. to make small or insignificant
  3. to make seem small by comparison

intransitive verb

to become stunted or dwarfed

adjective

undersized; stunted

Related Forms:

dwarf Synonyms

dwarf

modif.

dwarfed, low, diminutive; see little 1.

dwarf Synonyms

dwarf

n.

dwarf Synonyms

dwarf

v.

  1. To keep small

    stunt, retard, hinder, arrest; see restrain 1.

  2. To cause to appear small

    minimize, overshadow, dominate, predominate over, tower over, detract from, belittle, rise over or above, look down upon.

    Antonyms intensify*, magnify*, enhance.

dwarf Usage Examples

Object

  • rootstock: The dwarfing rootstocks they are grown on restrict the vigor of the plants.
  • galaxy: All these characteristics make dwarf irregular galaxies the ideal local analogs to young galaxies from the early universe.
  • bean: Why not try vegetables in pots - peas and dwarf runner beans will provide interest with their pretty flowers.

Converse of object

  • orbit: Perhaps the less hostile environment of a habitable moon orbiting a brown dwarf would help to extend the human life cycle.

Adjective modifier

  • brown: Perhaps the brown dwarf has an orbit similar to a comet, for instance.
  • white: In a binary system, the white dwarf will pull material off the surface of the normal star.
  • yellow: Expression of barley yellow dwarf or wheat streak mosaic virus coat proteins in transgenic wheat.
  • black: At the end of this process the remnant star will cease to emit radiation and will become a ' black dwarf ' .

Modifies a noun

  • nova: Both these extremes of behavior occur in the dwarf novae with the shortest orbital periods.
  • birch: The landscape here is typical habitat for dwarf birch.
  • lop: We have lost our black dwarf lop eared male rabbit named Bright Eyes.
  • hamster: In addition, classes for dwarf hamsters are held.
  • conifer: There is a huge range of dwarf conifers that would be suitable.
  • cichlid: Please also check out my website listed below, plenty of other South American dwarf cichlids av... .. .

Noun used with modifier

  • sub-brown: Sitchin seems to reject my notion of a sub-brown dwarf and warmed moons, which is a pity.
  • rice: The rice dwarf phytoreovirus structural protein P7 possesses non-specific nucleic acids binding activity in vitro.

Browse dictionary entries near dwarf

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