little

 
Pronunciation: /ˈlɪt(ə)l/

adjective

  • small in size, amount, or degree (often used to convey an appealing diminutiveness or express an affectionate or condescending attitude): the plants will grow into little bushes a little puppy dog a boring little man
  • (of a person) young or younger: my little brother when she was little she was always getting into scrapes
  • [attributive] denoting something, especially a place, that is the smaller or smallest of those so named or is named after a similar larger one: the village of Little Chesterton
  • [attributive] used in names of animals and plants that are smaller than related kinds, e.g. little grebe.
  • [attributive] of short distance or duration: stay for a little while we climbed up a little way
  • [attributive] relatively unimportant or trivial (often used ironically): we have a little problem I can’t remember every little detail

determiner & pronoun

  • 1 (a little) a small amount of: [as determiner]: we got a little help from a training scheme [as pronoun]: you only see a little of what he can do
  • [pronoun] a short time or distance: after a little, the rain stopped
  • 2used to emphasize how small an amount is: [as determiner]: I have little doubt of their identity there was very little time to be lost [as pronoun]: he ate and drank very little the rouble is worth so little these days

adverb (less, least)

  • 1 (a little) to a small extent: he reminded me a little of my parents I was always a little afraid of her
  • 2only to a small extent; not much or often (used for emphasis): he was little known in this country he had slept little these past weeks
  • hardly or not at all: little did he know what wheels he was putting into motion

Phrases

in little

archaic on a small scale; in miniature.

little by little

by degrees; gradually: little by little the money dried up

little or nothing

hardly anything: I can find little or nothing to fault in this book

make little of

treat as unimportant: they made little of their royal connection

no little

considerable: a factor of no little importance

not a little

a great deal (of); much: not a little consternation was caused
very: it was not a little puzzling

quite a little

a fairly large amount of: some spoke quite a little English
a considerable: it turned out to be quite a little bonanza

quite the little ——

used as a condescending or ironic recognition that someone has a particular quality or accomplishment: you’ve become quite the little horsewoman

Derivatives

littleness

noun

Origin:

Old English lȳtel, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch luttel, German dialect lützel