bantam

¹ American  

[ban-tuhm] / ˈbæn təm /

noun

1. (often initial capital letter) a chicken of any of several varieties or breeds characterized by very small size.

2. a small and feisty or quarrelsome person.

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adjective

1. diminutive; tiny.

   bantam editions of the classics.

   Synonyms:

   Lilliputian, pygmy, wee, petite, small, miniature

Bantam ² American  

[ban-tuhm, bahn-tahm] / ˈbæn təm, bɑnˈtɑm /

noun

1. a village in W Java, in S Indonesia: first Dutch settlement in the East Indies.

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bantam British  

/ ˈbæntəm /

noun

1. any of various very small breeds of domestic fowl

2. a small but aggressive person

3. boxing short for bantamweight

4. 1. an age level of between 13 and 15 in amateur sport, esp ice hockey

   2. ( as modifier )

      bantam hockey

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Etymology

Origin of bantam

1740–50; apparently after Bantam, through which such chickens may have been imported to Europe

Example Sentences

In March 2023, the bantam hen from Michigan was crowned the world's oldest living chicken by Guinness World Records.

From DOGO News • Sep. 19, 2023

He was skinny as a young man, and the Toronto Globe and Mail once quoted some of his fellow fliers as saying he was “more like a wiry bantam weight.”

From Washington Post • May 21, 2022

What they want are players such as 15-year-old Paula Martínez, one of two girls in the bantam age group — and one 270 girls playing hockey nationwide, according to the federation.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2022

However, they were adamant in only bringing one team for the 7/8U bantam division that has garnered the recent negative attention in the media.

From Fox News • Nov. 22, 2021

He had a tough bantam body, easily detectable under the tight sweat shirt he wore.

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles