Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
thumbling. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
thumbling, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
thumbling in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
thumbling you have here. The definition of the word
thumbling will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
thumbling, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From thumb + -ling. Compare Dutch duimeling, Middle Low German dûmelinc, dûmelink, German Däumling. Compare also Icelandic þumlungur (“thumb; inch”) (measurement).
Noun
thumbling (plural thumblings)
- A tiny, thumb-sized person; manikin
1989, Rita Knipe, The Water of Life:There is a long list of such spirits, including dwarfs, elves, gnomes, brownies, pixies, leprechauns, thumblings (like Tom Thumb), and dactyli (which means fingers). As with the Menehune, the thumblings and the dactyl-fingers are masculine figures, and so are the ancient gnomes.
- Anything small, comparable to the size of a human thumb
1946, Thomas Fleming Day, The Rudder - Volume 62:Passing through the kitchen to the scullery, to which place she ordered us, I saw Deborah was very busy frying thumblings — small croquettes about the size of a big man's thumb — […]
See also