dwarfing

[ dwawr-fing ]

noun

, Biology.

1. a process in which an animal breed or plant cultivar is intentionally induced, as by selective breeding and genetic engineering, to produce a breed or cultivar that is significantly smaller than the original: bulldogs and commercial fruit trees are examples of organisms that have been subjected to dwarfing.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dwarfing¹

First recorded in 1620–30; dwarf ( def ) + -ing ¹( def )

Example Sentences

Despite diametrical differences in ideologies, in values, in ideals and systems, programs for extermination are in place at a magnitude dwarfing what occurred during the first half of the 1940s.

From Salon

The Netherlands, for example, expects around 60 million annual visitors by decade’s end — dwarfing the country’s population of about 18 million.

From Los Angeles Times

The United States were the undoubted track and field champions in Paris, their total of 34 medals dwarfing Great Britain and Kenya who had the joint-second most with 10.

From BBC

Of that sum, $9.4 billion has gone to Hungary and $5.7 billion to Serbia, dwarfing the totals of other regional countries.

From Seattle Times

It is far and away the most-watched show on Netflix, according to the streamer’s publicly released numbers, dwarfing every other show on the platform.

From New York Times