pigmy

Pigmy, also spelled pygmy, is a term used to describe a person or animal that is smaller than the typical size within its group. The word derives from the Greek pygmós, a label historically applied in Classical literature to mythic small-statured beings and later carried into natural history to denote diminutive forms of life.

In human contexts, pigmy has historically referred to various ethnic groups whose average height is shorter than surrounding populations, especially in Central Africa. Examples commonly cited include Indigenous hunter-gatherer communities such as the Aka, Mbuti, and Twa. Today the term is controversial in some circles, viewed as outdated or imprecise. Many researchers and communities prefer to use specific ethnonyms or to describe populations by height statistics without relying on a single umbrella label.

In biology, pigmy is used to denote dwarf or miniature forms of species or populations. Notable examples include the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis), which inhabits West African forests; the pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea), one of the smallest monkeys; and the common usage of pygmy in reference to the pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps). The term can also appear in references to other diminutive taxa, including certain whales and rodents.

Spellings vary, with pigmy being a traditional alternative to pygmy. In modern usage, pygmy is generally the preferred form in most dictionaries and contemporary writing, though both spellings remain recognizable and are used in different contexts. The core idea remains the same: a smaller size relative to related groups or species.