In the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, midget was a medical term referring to an extremely short but normally proportioned person, and was used in contrast to dwarf, which denoted disproportionate shortness. Like many other older medical terms, as it became part of popular language, it was usually used in a pejorative sense. When applied to a person who is very short, midget is now often considered offensive, an example of the euphemism treadmill.^[1] Round Wheel Arch MG Midget on Autotest The MG Midget was a small sports car produced by MG division of the British Motor Corporation from 1961 through to 1979. ... A Daihatsu Midget DA5 model A Daihatsu Midget MP4 model The Daihatsu Midget is a single-seat mini-truck made by Japanese automaker Daihatsu. ... Midget are a guitar band from Stamford, Lincolnshire who formed in 1996. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... For the chemical substances known as medicines, see medication. ... This article is about the medical condition. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with pejoration. ... Euphemism is the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant to the listener; or in the case of doublespeak, to make it less troublesome for the speaker. ...

Midgets and dwarves are virtually the same thing, both terms meaning someone who has been short in stature since birth. This is caused by an inherited gene and can be diagnosed at birth by several telltale signs (for instance hydrocephalus) or later when the child is a toddler. The word dwarf has generally replaced midget even for proportionally short people, though the term little person is preferred. According to the Little People of America, dwarfism is "a medical or genetic condition that usually results in an adult height of 4 ft 10 in (147 cm) or shorter, among both men and women, although in some cases a person with a dwarfing condition may be slightly taller than that."^[2] For other uses, see Gene (disambiguation). ... This article is about the medical condition. ... Little People of America (LPA) is a not-for-profit organization which provides support and information to dwarfs and their families. ...

Modern terminology now distinguishes between the two types of dwarfism using the terms proportionate dwarfism, such as primordial dwarfism, and disproportionate dwarfism, such as achondroplasia. Proportionate dwarfism is often the result of a hormonal deficiency (such as growth hormone deficiency), and it may be treated medically. Primordial dwarfism is a rare form of dwarfism that results in a smaller body size in all stages of life beginning from before birth. ... Achondroplasia is a type of autosomal dominant genetic disorder that is a common cause of dwarfism. ... Growth hormone deficiency is the medical condition of inadequate production of growth hormone (GH) and its effects on children and adults. ...

According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the term "midget" comes from "midge", meaning a sand fly, and the suffix "-et", meaning little or small.^[3] An editor has expressed a concern that the subject of the article does not satisfy the notability guideline for Web content. ... For other uses, see Midge (disambiguation). ...

See also

• Dwarfism

This article is about the medical condition. ...

References