thumbling

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)

1. 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.

2. 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

• Tom Thumb