Word
munchkin
UK/mˈʌntʃkɪn/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a very small person or a young child. It is a playful and informal way to talk about someone who is tiny.
n. a person of very small stature or a young child. Often carries a whimsical or affectionate tone, though it can be used dismissively to imply insignificance.
Examples
“The little munchkin is finally asleep in his crib.”
“She looked like a munchkin standing next to the professional basketball players during the photo shoot.”
Examples
simple
“The little munchkin is finally asleep in his crib.”
contextual
“She looked like a munchkin standing next to the professional basketball players during the photo shoot.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “munchkin” in context.
Verb
01. cuddle munchkin
“He spent the afternoon cuddling his little munchkin on the sofa.”
verb + noun
02. munchkin giggles
“The sound of the munchkin giggling filled the entire house.”
noun + verb
03. munchkin waddles
“The little munchkin waddled across the room to reach for the toy.”
noun + verb
04. wrangle munchkins
“The teacher had the difficult task of wrangling twenty munchkins for the class photo.”
verb + noun
Adjective
05. adorable munchkin
“Look at that adorable munchkin in the oversized sweater!”
adj + noun
06. precocious munchkin
“The precocious munchkin was already reading chapter books at age four.”
adj + noun
07. tiny munchkin
“She carried the tiny munchkin on her hip throughout the party.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. army of munchkins
“The playground was overrun by an army of munchkins during recess.”
noun + prep + noun
09. a cute little munchkin
“Her nephew is such a cute little munchkin with those rosy cheeks.”
10. bundle of munchkins
“The daycare center was filled with a chaotic bundle of munchkins.”
Usage
Informal and often affectionate; when applied to adults, it may be perceived as patronizing.
Etymology
Coined by American author L. Frank Baum in 1900 in his novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Perhaps reflective of German Mensch or munch + -kin. Compare Low German Menschken and Low German Minschken. Sense 5 (“donut hole”) is a genericization of the Dunkin' trademark "Munchkins".
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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