hobbit

American  

[hob-it] / ˈhɒb ɪt /

noun

1. a member of a race of imaginary creatures related to and resembling humans, living in underground holes and characterized by their good nature, diminutive size, and hairy feet.

2. a nickname for Homo floresiensis.

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hobbit British  

/ ˈhɒbɪt /

noun

1. one of an imaginary race of half-size people living in holes

2. a nickname used for a very small type of primitive human, Homo floresiensis , following the discovery of remains of eight such people on the Island of Flores, Indonesia, in 2004

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Other Word Forms

• hobbitry noun

Etymology

Origin of hobbit

1937; coined by J. R. R. Tolkien in his fantasy novel “The Hobbit”

Example Sentences

But the three in the back had better be hobbits.

From The Wall Street Journal

If I’m honest, she reminded me of a hobbit, from Lord of the Rings.

From Literature

But if we adjust the details a bit, that sounds awfully close to Elon Musk’s lazy storybook fantasies about charming hobbit villages protected by “hard men.”

From Salon

“The hobbits started talking about, ‘Well, maybe you need a “gand” to help you control your powers.’

From Los Angeles Times

Here, it was pure joy to watch HORA’s actors embrace their inner hobbits, dwarves, wizards, orcs and elves — including one that yodels!

From New York Times