Difference Between Dwarf and Midget

March 2023 · 4 minute read

Main Difference

The term dwarf is used for the person that is extremely short in height as compare to normal people. Dwarf or dwarfism is medical term given to the very short person. The body of a dwarf is disproportionate and is usually found with short limbs. Midget is not a medical term. It is a slang or offensive word for a short person. Midget is also extremely short in height as the dwarfs are, but their body is equally proportioned, unlike the dwarfs.

Comparison Chart

DwarfMidget
A dwarf is a person suffering from medical abnormality known as dwarfism, and it is caused due to a genetic mutation.Midget is slang used for a person with extremely short height. Midget suffers from proportionate dwarfism.
Issues
Dwarf suffers from Disproportionality of body parts such as limbs, arms, etc. along with extremely short height.Extremely short height. Midget is a slang and considered to be offensive, disrespectful and belligerent.
Height
Less than 147 cm

4’10”

Less than 147 cm

4’10”

Cause
A genetic disorder, Genetic mutation.A genetic disorder, lack of growth hormone.
Affects
Humans, Animals, and Plants.Humans only.

What is a Dwarf?

The dwarf is a medical term used for the person that is extremely short in height as compare to the normal average height of an adult. An adult with the height of less than 147 cm or 4’10” is considered to be suffering from dwarfism. Dwarfism is a medical condition that occurs when a person suffers from the slow growth phenomena. A person can be dwarf due to more 300 various medical conditions and abnormalities. The common sort of dwarfism that is usually seen among the people is due to low muscle tone and growth. The body of the people suffering from dwarfism is disproportionate. Some part of their body is normal in size as other normal adults possess, but some of the parts including their height are abnormally too short. Dwarfs usually suffer from the short limb conditions. Their all rest body parts are grown well and are in normal condition, but one or two parts that suffer are relatively too short. Dwarfism is not only found in humans, but animals and plants as well suffer from this condition. Dwarfs are usually produced as a result of genetic abnormalities and variation. Dwarfism is a medical condition that includes abnormalities regarding short stature and height. There are various myths and fantasy based stories popular about the dwarfs from the prehistoric times. In these myths, dwarfs are considered and refer as a sign of luck, wisdom, and cleverness. The most popular methodology includes that a dwarf lives in the mountains and inside the earth keeping an eye on people.

What is a Midget?

Midget is not a medical or literary term. It is slang for a person very much short in height. Midget is a slang and is considered highly offensive. Early in the past, the word Midget was widely used for the person suffering from dwarfism. Then in the mid of the 20th century, use of this word become limited, and now it is not that much spoken and popular because of being belligerent and offensive. A midget is a person with extremely short height less than 147 cm. A midget is one who is suffering from proportionate dwarfism. It is due to medical abnormalities and mutation in the genes, but in the result, the person that lacks the normal height have body equally proportioned. Unlike dwarfs that have short limbs, arms, etc. Midgets are the normal people with everything normal in them except their height. Nowadays we see people with height less than or equal to 4 feet, all of them are midgets if their body is toned and all the body parts are in normal form as compared to their height. The word midget is derived from the word ‘midge,’ which means small fly. The word first was introduced in 1848 in Canada where the sand fly was called as Midge because of being so small in size. The word is considered as slang because it seems like comparing a person with short height with the fly or referring the short height person as a fly. The word becomes bellicose and offensive as it was mostly used for the females suffering from the proportionate dwarfism. Such sort of females was treated inhumanly, and this started controversies all over, and soon the word midget was considered as insulting, offensive and violent.

Dwarf vs. Midget

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