different between munchkin vs following

English

Etymology

Coined by L. Frank Baum in "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." Perhaps reflective of munch +? -mensch? +? -kin.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: m?nsh?k?n, IPA^(key): /?m?n?k?n/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?m?nt?k?n/

Noun

munchkin (plural munchkins)

1. (informal) A child.
   • 2006, Michelle LaRowe, Nanny to the Rescue!: Straight Talk & Super Tips for Parenting in the Early Years, Thomas Nelson (2006), ?ISBN, page 124:

     Picture this: your child begins his first day of group childcare, and he is suddenly surrounded by other munchkins his age […]

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:munchkin.
2. (informal) A person of very short stature.
   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:munchkin.
3. Alternative form of Munchkin (domestic cat breed)
4. (role-playing games) A player who mainly concentrates on increasing their character's power and capabilities.
5. (informal, slang) Synonym of donut hole (“ball-shaped pastry”) (genericization of the Dunkin trademark "Munchkin")

Synonyms

• (child): see also Thesaurus:child
• (small person): dwarf, lilliputian, pygmy, tiddler

Translations

References

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?f?l????/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?f?lo???/
• Hyphenation: fol?low?ing

Adjective

following (not comparable)

1. Coming next, either in sequence or in time.

   Synonyms: succeeding; see also Thesaurus:subsequent

   Antonyms: preceding; see also Thesaurus:former

   • 1835, Sir John Ross, Sir James Clark Ross, Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-west Passage …, Volume 1, pp.284-5

     Towards the following morning, the thermometer fell to 5°; and at daylight, there was not an atom of water to be seen in any direction.

2. About to be specified.

   Synonym: undermentioned

   Antonyms: abovementioned, aforementioned, aforesaid

3. (of a wind) Blowing in the direction of travel.

Usage notes

(Senses 1, 2) When it modifies a noun phrase, it is generally preceded by the definite article the, and the combination functions as a determiner rather than a simple adjective. You can put it before a cardinal like the following two remarks instead of the two following remarks.

Translations

Preposition

following

1. After, subsequent to.

   Following the meeting, we all had a chat.

Translations

Noun

following (plural followings)

1. A group of followers, attendants or admirers; an entourage.

   He had a loyal following.
2. Vocation; business; profession.
3. (with definite article, treated as singular or plural) A thing or things to be mentioned immediately after.

   The following is a recommendation letter from the president.

   The following are the three most important questions.

Translations

Verb

following

1. present participle of follow