midget
C1Offensive/Derogatory (when referring to people). Neutral in technical/historical contexts for objects.
Definition
Meaning
A person who is unusually short in stature, typically due to a medical or genetic condition.
Something very small for its kind; a small version of something larger. In motorsport, a class of small racing cars.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary modern sense relating to people is widely considered offensive. Its use can be dehumanizing and is strongly associated with historical exploitation (e.g., in circuses). Use 'person/people of short stature', 'little person', or the specific medical condition (e.g., 'person with dwarfism') instead. The term for objects/sports is considered neutral but is dated.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage and offensiveness are consistent across both varieties. The technical term 'midget submarine' is used historically in both.
Connotations
Strongly pejorative and infantilising when referring to a person. The object sense is simply descriptive but old-fashioned.
Frequency
Very low frequency in modern discourse regarding people due to its offensive nature. Occasionally appears in historical texts or in the names of sports/object categories.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[adj] midgetmidget [noun]the midgets (offensive)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common modern idioms due to offensiveness]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in historical or disability studies contexts discussing the term's usage and impact.
Everyday
Avoided due to offensiveness. May be heard among older speakers or used unthinkingly.
Technical
Used historically in engineering (e.g., 'midget submarine'). In sports, 'midget' leagues/categories exist but are increasingly being renamed.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The museum had a model of a midget submarine from World War II.
- He collected midget gems, the small boiled sweets.
American English
- They raced in the midget car class at the county fair.
- He found a midget version of the classic novel.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The word 'midget' is now considered rude when talking about people.
- They have a midget car race every summer. (object)
- Historical texts sometimes offensively refer to 'midgets' in circus sideshows.
- The engineering challenge was to build a functional midget submarine.
- Using the term 'midget' perpetuates harmful stereotypes and is rejected by advocacy groups for people of short stature.
- The 'midget' class in motorsports has a controversial name, with many calling for it to be changed.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a small GEM that is a MIDGET version of a normal one – but remember this word for objects is small-minded when used for people.
Conceptual Metaphor
SMALL IS INFERIOR (potentially harmful metaphor when applied to people).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not directly translate 'карлик' or 'лилипут' as 'midget' without understanding the strong offensive connotations. 'Карлик' is closer to 'dwarf' (also potentially offensive), and 'лилипут' is a literary term from Gulliver's Travels. Use descriptive phrases instead.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a neutral or affectionate term for a short person.
- Assuming it is a technical medical term (it is not).
Practice
Quiz
In which context might the word 'midget' still be used without immediate offence?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is widely considered offensive and derogatory when referring to a person. It is associated with mockery and historical exploitation.
Use 'person of short stature', 'little person', or the specific condition if relevant and known (e.g., 'person with achondroplasia'). Always refer to the person first.
It has a history of being used to demean, infantilise, and objectify people, particularly in carnival and circus sideshows. It reduces a person to their physical characteristic.
Terms like 'midget car' or 'midget submarine' are descriptive and historical. However, even in these contexts, the term is becoming dated and is often replaced (e.g., 'quarter midget' racing is now often called 'quarter racing').