Dictionary

little person en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈlɪtəlˌpɜːsən/ (Australia)
• (US) audio

Meanings

1. (euphemistic) A person with dwarfism, or short stature resulting from a medical condition.
   • Here, the amount of personal space that is acknowledged for a little person is similar to that of a child. 2012, Vera Chouinard, Edward Hall, Robert Wilton, Towards Enabling Geographies, page 188:
2. A small magical humanoid creature, such as an elf, leprechaun, or fairy.
   • Ultimately, Prof. Gregg's search for the truth brings him into direct contact with the “little people” with tragic results. 2021, Justin Mullis, “Fear, Faries, and Fossils: The Legacy of Arthur Machen's "Little People" Stories”, in Antonio Sanna, editor, Arthur Machen: Critical Essays, Lanham: Lexington Books, page 118:
   • The little people then disappeared, and went each about their work or their pleasure. 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 298:
   • His nurse had told him all about changelings, and how the little people would always try to steal a beautiful human child out of its cradle and put in its stead one of their own ailing, puking brats[…] 1961, Muriel Saint Clare Byrne, Elizabethan Life in Town and Country, page 285:
3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see little, person.
   • Shepard: I don't have time for this, Conrad. I'm not here to be a role model. / Conrad Verner: Oh, I see how it is. Commander Shepard doesn't have time for the little people! / Conrad Verner: Far be it for me to get in your way! You go be a hero. 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel:
   • I used to be a little person inside my Mommy's tummy. Now I'm all big! 1987 February 1, Barbara Siegel, quoting Grace the Pro-Life Doll, “Move Over Barbie”, in Gay Community News, volume 14, number 28, page 2:

Forms

Relateds

little folk · smallfolk

Synonyms

small person

Translations (14)

fr petite personne (euphemistic term for a person with dwarfism — see also dwarf) · pl osoba niskorosła (euphemistic term for a person with dwarfism — see also dwarf) · chr ᏴᏫ ᏧᎾᏍᏗᎢ (small magical humanoid) · cmn 袖珍人 (euphemistic term for a person with dwarfism — see also dwarf) · sv kortväxt (euphemistic term for a person with dwarfism — see also dwarf) · sv småfolk (small magical humanoid) · de Männchen (small magical humanoid) · de Kleinwüchsiger (euphemistic term for a person with dwarfism — see also dwarf) · fi kääpiö (small magical humanoid) · de Gnom (small magical humanoid) · de Kleinwüchsige (euphemistic term for a person with dwarfism — see also dwarf) · fr personne de petite taille (euphemistic term for a person with dwarfism — see also dwarf) · pl gnom (small magical humanoid) · de Wicht (small magical humanoid)