bantam

/ˈbæntəm/
adjective
  1. Small in size, especially referring to a breed of chicken or a lightweight class in sports.
    • They bought a bantam rooster to keep the hens company.
    • She raised bantam ducks, which were much smaller than regular ducks.
    • The bantam weight class in boxing is for fighters under 118 pounds.
noun
  1. A small breed of domestic chicken, often kept as a pet or for show.
    • Bantams are popular because they need less space than larger chickens.
    • The children loved watching the tiny bantam chicks peck at the ground.
    • My grandmother keeps a flock of bantams in her backyard.
  2. A small but aggressive or spirited person, often used in sports or informal contexts.
    • The coach called his shortest player a bantam for his fearless play.
    • The little bantam on the basketball team never backed down from a challenge.
    • He was a bantam of a man, but he had a fierce temper.
What does "bantam" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean