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Pygmy
Pygmy or Pigmy , term used for dark-skinned people who live in equatorial rain forests and average less than 59 in. (150 cm) in height. Some studies make a distinction between Negrillos, who live in Africa, and Negritos, who live in Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and the Philippines; this classification system is rarely used today, however. Anthropologists have noted that, like many inhabitants of rain forests, Pygmies traditionally are hunter-gatherers who live in small, seminomadic bands with patrilineal or bilateral descent. They are distinguished according to language and culture.
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"Pygmy." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Pygmy." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Pygmy.html "Pygmy." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Pygmy.html |
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Pygmy
Pyg·my / ˈpigmē/ (also Pig·my) • n. (pl. -mies) a member of certain peoples of very short stature in equatorial Africa and parts of Southeast Asia. ∎ (pygmy) chiefly derog. a very small person, animal, or thing. ∎ (pygmy) an insignificant person, esp. one who is deficient in a particular respect: he regarded them as intellectual pigmies. • adj. of, relating to, or denoting the Pygmies: centuries-old Pygmy chants from central Africa. ∎ (pygmy) (of a person or thing) very small. ∎ (pygmy) used in names of animals and plants that are much smaller than more typical kinds, e.g., pygmy hippopotamus, pygmy water lily. DERIVATIVES: pyg·me·an / ˈpigmēən; pigˈmēən/ adj. ( archaic ). |
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"Pygmy." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Pygmy." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-pygmy.html "Pygmy." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-pygmy.html |
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pygmy
pygmy originally (in late Middle English) denoting a mythological race of small people; in later use, a member of certain peoples of very short stature in equatorial Africa and parts of SE Asia. The word comes via Latin from Greek pugmaios ‘dwarf’, from pugmē ‘the length measured from elbow to knuckles’.
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "pygmy." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "pygmy." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-pygmy.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "pygmy." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-pygmy.html |
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pygmy
pygmy, pigmy XIV. In earliest use pl. pygmeis — L. pygmæī, pl. of pygmæus — Gr. pugmaîos dward(ish), f. pugmḗ measure of length from elbow to knuckles, fist.
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T. F. HOAD. "pygmy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "pygmy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-pygmy.html T. F. HOAD. "pygmy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-pygmy.html |
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pygmy
pygmy •chamois, clammy, gammy, Grammy, hammy, jammy, mammae, mammee, mammy, Miami, ramie, rammy, Sammy, shammy, whammy
•acme, drachmae
•Lakshmi
•army, balmy, barmy, gourami, macramé, origami, palmy, pastrami, salami, smarmy, swami, tsunami, Yanomami
•Clemmie, Emmy, jemmy, lemme, semi
•elmy
•Amy, cockamamie, flamy, gamy, Jamie, Mamie, samey
•beamy, creamy, dreamy, gleamy, Mimi, preemie, seamy, steamy
•gimme, shimmy, Timmy
•pygmy • filmy
•arch-enemy, enemy
•synonymy • Jeremy • sashimi
•blimey, gorblimey, grimy, limey, slimy, stymie, thymy
•commie, mommy, pommie, pommy, tommy
•dormy, stormy
•foamy, homey, loamy, Naomi, Salome
•polychromy
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Cite this article
"pygmy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "pygmy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-pygmy.html "pygmy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-pygmy.html |
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