| gen. |
пигмеи (1. (also pigmy) noun (pl.pygmies) 1) (Pygmy) a member of certain peoples of very short stature in equatorial Africa and parts of SE Asia. Pygmies (e.g. the Mbuti and Twa peoples) are typically nomadic hunter-gatherers with an average male height not above 150 cm (4 ft 11 in.) 2) chiefly derogatory a very small person, animal, or thing ¦ a person who is insignificant or is deficient in a particular respect he regarded them as intellectual pygmies 2. adjective very small or insignificant ¦ used in names of animals and plants that are much smaller than more typical kinds, e.g. pygmy shrew, pygmy water lily. NOED Alexander Demidov) |
