midget

The word "midget" is most important to know as an old and offensive word for a person with dwarfism or very short stature. It was used in show business and popular culture in ways that treated people as objects, so today it is widely seen as insulting. If you are talking about a person, it is better to say "person with dwarfism," "person of short stature," or use the term that person prefers.

The word has also been used for a very small version of something, such as an animal, a machine, or another object. In that use, it means "miniature" or "smaller than usual." Still, because the human use is offensive, the word often carries a negative feeling even outside that context, so many writers choose a clearer and safer word instead.

The word "midget" has more than one use, but one of them is far more important than the others because of its social weight. Historically, it was used for a person with dwarfism or very short stature, especially in entertainment settings such as circuses and sideshows. Because of that history, the word became tied to mockery, exploitation, and a way of looking at people as curiosities rather than as full human beings. In present-day English, this use is widely considered offensive.

If the topic is a real person, this word is usually not appropriate. In most cases, people instead use "person with dwarfism," "person of short stature," or another term the person chooses for themselves. That shift in language is not just about politeness. It reflects a more respectful way of speaking about disability and identity.

There is also a non-human use of "midget" meaning a very small type, breed, model, or version of something. Older writing may mention a midget submarine, a midget car, or a midget breed of animal. In these cases, the meaning is simply "very small" or "miniature compared with the usual kind." Even so, this use can still sound dated, and many speakers now prefer words like "small," "miniature," or "compact."

So the word sits in an unusual place in English. It can refer either to an insulting label for people or, in older and more technical wording, to something unusually small. When you read it, context matters. When you choose your own words, though, the safest approach is simple: avoid it for people, and for things, use a more neutral word if possible.