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Midget vs Spastic - What's the difference?

midget | spastic |

As nouns the difference between midget and spastic

is that midget is (originally) a little sandfly while spastic is a person affected by spastic paralysis or spastic cerebral palsy.

As an adjective spastic is

(pathology) of, relating to, or affected by spasm.

midget

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (originally) A little sandfly.
    • ''Although tiny and just two-winged, midgets can bite you manyfold till you itch all over your unprotected skin
  • (loosely) Any small swarming insect similar to the mosquito; a midge
  • A normally proportioned person with small stature, usually defined as reaching an adult height less than 4'10".
  • (sometimes derogatory) Any short person.
  • (attributively) That is a small version of something; miniature
    • the midget pony

    Usage notes

    * Used for an insect, this is a variation on (midge) that is incorrect but commonly used.

    Synonyms

    * dwarf (loosely) * dwarf, short-arse, shortie/shorty, tich/titch, vertically challenged person (humorous) * (swarming insect) midge * (miniature) dwarf

    Antonyms

    * giant * (miniature) giant

    References

    * [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=midge&searchmode=none]

    spastic

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (pathology) Of, relating to, or affected by spasm.
  • (pathology) Of or relating to spastic paralysis.
  • (slang, pejorative) Clumsy.
  • (slang, pejorative) Hyperactive, excited, and acting in a random manner.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person affected by spastic paralysis or spastic cerebral palsy.
  • (slang, offensive) A stupid, clumsy person.
  • * I'm Alan Partridge'' (TV series), ''To Kill a Mocking Alan
    • Jed Maxwell: See you next week then. We'll have that pint.
    Alan Partridge: Yep.
    Jed Maxwell: ...go and see my brother.
    Alan Partridge: No way, you big spastic ! You're a mentalist!

    Derived terms

    * spack * spacker * spaz, spazz

    Usage notes

    The word is perceived as relatively inoffensive in the United States, but extremely offensive in the United Kingdom.

    References

    * *

    Anagrams

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