# bantam

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbæntəm/ · frequency rank #37,332

## Definitions
1. Any of several small chickens, especially of a breed that is a miniature version of another breed.
2. A competitor in an age division between peewee and midget.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Dutch Bantam (Banten province in Java).

## Easily confused with
- **Bantu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bantam-vs-bantu)
- **banter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bantam-vs-banter)
- **bonham** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bantam-vs-bonham)
- **banyan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bantam-vs-banyan)
- **Bentham** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bantam-vs-bentham)
- **BAFTA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bafta-vs-bantam)
- **banda** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/banda-vs-bantam)
- **banal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/banal-vs-bantam)
- **balsam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/balsam-vs-bantam)
- **bandar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bandar-vs-bantam)

## Common misspellings (9)
`abntam`, `banatm`, `banntam`, `bantamm`, `bantma`, `banttam`, `batnam`, `bbantam`, `bnatam`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bantam