munchkin

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munch·kin

(mŭnch′kĭn)

1. A very small person.

2. Informal A child.

[After the Munchkins, , characters in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

munchkin

(ˈmʌntʃkɪn)

1. informal chiefly US an undersized person or a child, esp an appealing one

2. (Breeds) a breed of medium-sized cat with short legs

[C20: from the Munchkins, a dwarfish race of people in L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

munch•kin

(ˈmʌntʃ kɪn)

n. (often cap.)

a small person, esp. one who is dwarfish or elfin in appearance.

[after the Munchkins, a dwarflike race portrayed in Latin. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)]

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

Then he turned to the Munchkin boy and shook his head.

The aged Munchkin wriggled again and stared at his small nephew as if disturbed by his argument.

They live high up on the mountain, and the good Munchkin Country, where the fruits and flowers grow, is just the other side.

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They entered it in the Munchkin territory, and the King of the Munchkins met them at the border and welcomed Ozma with great respect, being very pleased by her safe return.

The Munchkin king entertained them at his palace that night, and in the morning they set out for the Emerald City, travelling over a road of yellow brick that led straight to the jewel-studded gates.

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You may be sure the folks of Oz did their best with such a distinguished company watching them, and finally Zeb offered to wrestle with a little Munchkin who seemed to be the champion.

Zeb was greatly astonished at his defeat, and when the pretty Princess joined her people in laughing at him he proposed a boxing-match with the Munchkin, to which the little Ozite readily agreed.

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"You are welcome, most noble Sorceress, to the land of the Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from bondage."

"She has held all the Munchkins in bondage for many years, making them slave for her night and day.

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"I myself speak the language of the Munchkins, which is also the language of the Emerald City.

"Are you quite certain you understand the languages of both the Gillikins and the Munchkins?"

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The East Country is blue, and that's the Country of the Munchkins. Down at the South is the red Country of the Quadlings, and here, in the West, the yellow Country of the Winkies.