munchkin

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/ˈmʌntʃkɪn/
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An affectionate informal nickname for a small or endearing person, with related uses for Oz characters, a short-legged cat breed, doughnut holes, gaming slang for an exploit-focused role-player, and Steve Jackson Games' card game.
Practice using this word in conversation

Examples

  • The Munchkin mayor appears in the film adaptation.
  • The menu called them doughnut holes, but he still asked for munchkins.
  • The costume made the actor look like a cheerful munchkin.
  • Her first Munchkin deck was the Deluxe Edition.
  • We played Munchkin after dinner.

Similar words

dwarf cat breed
rules exploiter
twink
tyke
donut hole
kiddo
short-legged cat
powergamer
small child
little one

Meanings

Endearing small-person nickname

noun
everyday
informal
An affectionate nickname for a child, pet, partner, or small endearing person, sometimes belittling when aimed at an adult's size.

Usage

Use munchkin mainly as a warm informal nickname, and avoid it where a neutral size description is needed.

Examples

  • Her munchkin fell asleep before dessert.
  • The little munchkin insisted on carrying his own backpack.
  • At five feet tall, I am short, not a munchkin.
  • She calls her puppy munchkin when it curls up beside her.
  • The costume made the actor look like a cheerful munchkin.

Common mistakes

The word is used as a cute label where plain size or age wording is needed.
IncorrectCorrect
The contract requires a munchkin under five feet tall. The contract requires a person under five feet tall.
She is a munchkin because she is young at heart. She is young at heart.
My manager is a munchkin and approved the budget. My manager is short and approved the budget.

Similar words

little one
small child
kiddo
youngster
tot
tyke

Oz inhabitant

noun
literature
neutral
One of the small people from Munchkin Country in the Oz stories and their adaptations.

Usage

Capitalize Munchkin for the fictional people of Oz, especially when the word names a member of that group rather than an ordinary small person.

Examples

  • Dorothy first meets the Munchkins after the house lands in Oz.
  • The Munchkin mayor appears in the film adaptation.
  • In Baum's story, Munchkins come from the eastern part of Oz.
  • Several Munchkins thank Dorothy after the witch dies.
  • The word Munchkin began as Baum's name for these Oz people.

Common mistakes

The Oz sense is confused with the generic lowercase word for a small person.
IncorrectCorrect
The munchkins live in the Emerald City. The Munchkins live in Munchkin Country.
Dorothy met the Munchkins in the Emerald City. Dorothy met the Munchkins in Munchkin Country.
A Munchkin is any short fantasy creature. A Munchkin is one of the small people of Oz.

Similar words

Short-legged cat breed

noun
pets
neutral
A domestic cat breed with noticeably short legs caused by a naturally occurring genetic mutation.

Usage

Use Munchkin for the recognized short-legged cat breed, not for every cat that happens to be small or low to the ground.

Examples

  • The Munchkin curled up on the windowsill.
  • She adopted a Munchkin from a breeder.
  • A Munchkin has short legs but a normal-sized body.
  • Veterinarians monitor Munchkin cats for mobility issues.
  • The Munchkin breed is known for an outgoing personality.

Common mistakes

The breed name is applied to any cat that looks short or small.
IncorrectCorrect
My tabby crouches low, so he is a Munchkin. My tabby crouches low, so he looks short-legged.
Every dwarf cat is a Munchkin. A Munchkin is one short-legged cat breed.
The Munchkin is a kitten breed. The Munchkin is a cat breed.

Similar words

Munchkin cat
short-legged cat
dwarf cat breed

Doughnut-hole treat

noun
food
informal
A small round doughnut hole, especially one called by Dunkin's trademarked Munchkins name.

Usage

Use munchkin informally for a doughnut hole, and use Munchkins when naming Dunkin's branded product.

Examples

  • She brought a box of Munchkins to the morning meeting.
  • He ate one glazed munchkin before taking his coffee.
  • The children split a dozen Munchkins after soccer practice.
  • The menu called them doughnut holes, but he still asked for munchkins.
  • A powdered munchkin left sugar on the napkin.

Common mistakes

The trademarked snack name is treated as the generic word in formal food writing.
IncorrectCorrect
The bakery sells official Munchkins from a different brand. The bakery sells doughnut holes from a different brand.
I ordered a munchkin and expected a full doughnut. I ordered a doughnut hole and expected a small round pastry.
Every donut hole brand is officially Munchkins. Munchkins is Dunkin's name, while donut hole is generic.

Similar words

doughnut hole
donut hole
doughnut bite

Power-focused role-player

noun
gaming
slang
A tabletop role-playing-game player who chases power, loopholes, or victory at the expense of story and group play.

Usage

Use munchkin as pejorative gaming slang for disruptive power-focused play, not simply for a skilled or strategic player.

Examples

  • The game master asked the munchkin to stop exploiting loopholes.
  • Nobody minded optimization until one munchkin tried to dominate every scene.
  • The forum used munchkin for players who treated the campaign like a scoreboard.
  • Her build was strong, but she was not a munchkin because she shared the spotlight.
  • The joke behind the card game comes from munchkin culture in RPGs.

Common mistakes

The insult is used for any player who knows the rules well.
IncorrectCorrect
He knows the rules well, so he is a munchkin. He knows the rules well, so he is an expert player.
She made a balanced character, a real munchkin. She made a balanced character, not a munchkin.
The munchkin shared the spotlight in every scene. The player shared the spotlight in every scene.

Similar words

powergamer
min-maxer
twink
rules exploiter

Comedy card game

noun
tabletop games
neutral
A Steve Jackson Games card game that parodies dungeon-crawl role-playing by rewarding monster fighting, treasure grabbing, and player sabotage.

Usage

Capitalize or italicize Munchkin when naming the card game, and keep it separate from the generic gaming insult.

Examples

  • We played Munchkin after dinner.
  • Steve Jackson Games publishes Munchkin and many expansions.
  • The goal in Munchkin is to reach the winning level before the other players.
  • The jokes in Munchkin parody dungeon-crawl fantasy.
  • Her first Munchkin deck was the Deluxe Edition.

Common mistakes

The game title is lowercased or treated as any dungeon game.
IncorrectCorrect
We played a munchkin last night. We played Munchkin last night.
Munchkin is a serious role-playing campaign. Munchkin is a comedic card game with RPG parody.
Every dungeon game is Munchkin. Munchkin is one specific card-game series.

Similar words

Usage

Let casing and context do the work: munchkin is informal for a nickname, doughnut hole, or disruptive powergamer, while Munchkin points to Oz, the cat breed, branded snacks, or the card game.

Common mistakes

Munchkin is capitalized for every sense even when the generic nickname, food, or gaming word should be lowercase, and the Oz characters are sometimes placed wrongly in the Emerald City.

Etymology

From the Munchkins, the small people in L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The lowercase informal use for a small or endearing person is recorded later in American English, and the name was later used for the cat breed, Dunkin's Munchkins, and the card-game title.

FAQ

What does munchkin mean?

munchkin can mean an affectionate nickname, an Oz character, a short-legged cat breed, a doughnut hole, a pejorative RPG player, or the Munchkin card game.

Should munchkin be capitalized?

Use lowercase for the generic nickname, food, and RPG slang. Capitalize Munchkin for the Oz people, the cat breed, Dunkin's branded snacks, and the card game.

Where does munchkin come from?

munchkin comes from the Munchkins in L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Is munchkin insulting?

munchkin is often affectionate for a child, but it can sound patronizing for an adult. In RPG slang it is usually an insult.

What is a Munchkin cat?

A Munchkin cat is a domestic cat breed known for short legs caused by a naturally occurring genetic mutation.

Can munchkin mean a doughnut hole?

Yes. munchkin can be used informally for a doughnut hole, especially from Dunkin's branded Munchkins.

What is Munchkin the game?

Munchkin is a Steve Jackson Games card game that parodies fantasy role-playing with monsters, treasure, levels, and player sabotage.

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