bantam
bantam Lexical Profile
bantam Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small breed of domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) or other fowl, characterized by its diminutive size and historically associated with the Indonesian province of Banten.
"She won a blue ribbon at the county fair for her beautifully feathered bantam."
A person of short stature who is fiercely combative, spirited, or aggressively confident.
"The new manager was a fiery little bantam who immediately began barking orders at the senior staff."
• adjective
Small and diminutive in size, particularly describing breeds of domestic poultry.
"The farmer kept a flock of bantam hens that laid unusually small, rich eggs."
Spirited, boldly aggressive, or pugnacious, especially in spite of a small physical stature.
"Despite being the shortest player on the court, his bantam attitude made him a formidable opponent in defense."
• Rhymes for bantam
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Bantam (now Banten), a province and former major seaport on the island of Java in Indonesia, from which small domestic fowl were exported by European sailors in the 18th century.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.