English word midget comes from an English diminutive ending -et combined with Old English myċġe (a small fly, a mosquito, midge) which ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-European *mu (referring to a fly, mosquito, midge)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *mu | Proto-Indo-European (ine) | Gnat, midge, fly, mosquito. |
| *mugjǭ | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | A small fly; midge; mosquito. |
| mycg | Old English (ca. 450-1100) (ang) | A small fly; gnat; mosquito; midge. |
| myċġe | Old English (ca. 450-1100) (ang) | A small fly; gnat; mosquito; midge. |
| mydge | Middle English (1100-1500) (enm) | A small fly; gnat; mosquito; midge. |
| -et | English (en) | Used to form diminutives, loosely construed. |
| midget | English (en) | (attributively) A small version of something; miniature.. (loosely) Any small swarming insect similar to the mosquito; a midge. (originally) A little sandfly.. (sometimes derogatory) Any short person.. A normally proportioned person with small stature, usually defined as reaching an adult height less than 4'10". [from later 19th c.]. |
