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• bantam
  bantam

  noun

  a chicken of any of several varieties or breeds characterized by very small size.
• Bantam
  Bantam

  noun

  a village in W Java, in S Indonesia: first Dutch settlement in the East Indies.

bantam

¹ American  

[ban-tuhm] / ˈbæn təm /

noun

1. (often initial capital letter) a chicken of any of several varieties or breeds characterized by very small size.

2. a small and feisty or quarrelsome person.

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adjective

1. diminutive; tiny.

   bantam editions of the classics.

   Synonyms:

   Lilliputian, pygmy, wee, petite, small, miniature

Bantam ² American  

[ban-tuhm, bahn-tahm] / ˈbæn təm, bɑnˈtɑm /

noun

1. a village in W Java, in S Indonesia: first Dutch settlement in the East Indies.

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bantam British  

/ ˈbæntəm /

noun

1. any of various very small breeds of domestic fowl

2. a small but aggressive person

3. boxing short for bantamweight

4. 1. an age level of between 13 and 15 in amateur sport, esp ice hockey

   2. ( as modifier )

      bantam hockey

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Etymology

Origin of bantam

1740–50; apparently after Bantam, through which such chickens may have been imported to Europe

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bantam Bantam

His bantam squads were among the best in the country and seven of his players were invited to USA Hockey’s prestigious National Team Development Program Evaluation Camps.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

In March 2023, the bantam hen from Michigan was crowned the world's oldest living chicken by Guinness World Records.

From DOGO News ● Sep. 19, 2023

What they want are players such as 15-year-old Paula Martínez, one of two girls in the bantam age group — and one 270 girls playing hockey nationwide, according to the federation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2022

Murphy, who coached Oshie at the squirt, pewee and bantam levels, remains close with Oshie.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 20, 2021

“The only one with bantam White Leghorns in this area was Jim Brown. Well, aside from Redwood Farm.”

From "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" by Kelly Jones

Industry legend Susan Kamil revived the imprint in 1993 under what was then called Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Following its own precedent from the 1960s, Bantam Books v.

From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2025

Take the vertical loop to the top of the hill and stop at Trebek Open Space or Bantam Trailhead for sweeping views of Hollywood and beyond.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 7, 2025

A group of Bradford City fans will go from singing on the terraces to performing as a choir for a BBC programme called "Bantam of the Opera".

From BBC ● Jan. 20, 2025

I also told him that the variety of corn we were eating was called Golden Bantam.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan