Meanings
plural dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants · plural dwarves standing on the shoulders of giants
- figurativelyidiomaticOne who discovers by building on previous discoveries.
Synonyms: pygmy placed on the shoulders of giants
Synonyms & antonyms
nounOne who discovers by building on previous discoveries.
Origin
- Latinnani, gigantum humeris insidentes
- Englishdwarf standing on the shoulders of giants
Calque of Latin nani, gigantum humeris insidentes.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French des nains sur des épaules de géants
- des nains sur des épaules de géantsperson who discovers by building on previous discoveries
German Zwerg auf den Schultern von Riesen, Zwerg auf den Schultern von Giganten
- Zwerg auf den Schultern von Riesenperson who discovers by building on previous discoveries
- Zwerg auf den Schultern von Gigantenperson who discovers by building on previous discoveries
Japanese 巨人の肩の上に立つ小人
- 巨人の肩の上に立つ小人person who discovers by building on previous discoveries
Latin nani, gigantum humeris insidentes
- nani, gigantum humeris insidentesperson who discovers by building on previous discoveries
Cite this entry
dwarf standing on the shoulders of giants. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dwarf%20standing%20on%20the%20shoulders%20of%20giants
“dwarf standing on the shoulders of giants.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dwarf%20standing%20on%20the%20shoulders%20of%20giants. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dwarf standing on the shoulders of giants,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dwarf%20standing%20on%20the%20shoulders%20of%20giants.
Source: dwarf standing on the shoulders of giants on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.