This week’s theme
Words coined after fairy tales and folktales

This week’s words
breadcrumb
Tom Thumb
Domdaniel
Chicken Licken
open sesame

---

A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(tom THUM)

MEANING:

noun:
1. A very short person.
2. An insignificant or unimportant person, especially one who lacks the power or ability in spite of high rank.

ETYMOLOGY:

After Tom Thumb, the hero of many folktales, who is the size of his father’s thumb. Earliest documented use: 1579. Also see lilliput and lilliputian.

USAGE:

“He can’t wear clothes built for a giant, nor for a Tom Thumb either.”
James P. Blaylock; Land of Dreams; JABberwocky Literary Agency; 2012.

See more usage examples of Tom Thumb in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: