less

Meaning

Adv

1. comparative degree of little
2. Used for constructing syntactic diminutive comparatives of adjectives and adverbs.
3. To a smaller extent or degree.

Det

1. comparative form of little: more little; of inferior size, degree or extent; smaller, lesser.
2. A smaller amount of; not as much.
3. Fewer; a smaller number of.

Prep

Minus; not including

Verb

To make less; to lessen.

Adj

Lesser; smaller.

Noun

A smaller amount or quantity.

Conj

unless

Concepts

less

fewer

below

smaller

little

lesser

few

without

minus

more

minor

younger

least

small

inferior

to a lesser extent

decrease

in the middle

under

reduce

inadequate

further

furthermore

greater

still

still more

yet

a few

scant

scanty

sparse

lower

-less

decayed

deficient

lessened by subtraction

except

exclusive of

youngest

much less

beneath

short

very little

less than

either

decreased

after

lack

tenuous

weal

the least

the slightest

Pronounced as (IPA)

/lɛs/

Etymology

Adverb From Middle English les, lesse, leasse, lasse, from Old English lǣs (“smaller, less”), from Proto-Germanic *laisiz, from Proto-Indo-European *leys- (“to shrink, grow thin, be gentle”). Cognate with Old Frisian lēs (“less”), Old Saxon lēs (“less”). According to Kroonen (2013), from a northern Indo-European root Proto-Indo-European *leh₂is- or *leh₃is-, which he connects to Lithuanian liesas (“lean”).
Determiner and preposition from Middle English lees, lesse, leasse, lasse, from Old English lǣssa (“less”), from Proto-Germanic *laisizan-, from Proto-Germanic *laisiz (“smaller, lesser, fewer, lower”) (see above). Cognate with Old Frisian lessa (“less”).
Verb from Middle English lessen, from the determiner.
Noun from Middle English lesse, from the determiner.

Sentences

He looked around at the empty plaza again , feeling less desperate than before .

In Britain it flowers less profusely and even has a reputation for being tender .