small

Meaning

Adj

1. Not large or big; insignificant; few in number.
2. Not large or big; insignificant; few in number.
3. Not large or big; insignificant; few in number.
4. (figuratively, not-comparable) Young, as a child.
5. (not-comparable) Minuscule or lowercase, referring to written or printed letters.
6. Evincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; paltry; mean.
7. Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short.
8. Synonym of little (“of an industry or institution(s) therein: operating on a small scale, unlike larger counterparts”).
9. (archaic) Slender, gracefully slim.
10. (especially) That is small (the manufactured size).

Adv

1. In a small fashion
2. In or into small pieces.
3. (obsolete) To a small extent.
4. (obsolete) In a low tone; softly.

Noun

1. (especially, noun-from-verb, uncountable) One of several common sizes to which an item may be manufactured.
2. (countable, especially, noun-from-verb) An item labelled or denoted as being that size.
3. (countable, especially, noun-from-verb) One who fits an item of that size.
4. (countable, noun-from-verb, rare) Any part of something that is smaller or slimmer than the rest, now usually with anatomical reference to the back.

Verb

1. (noun-from-verb, obsolete, transitive) To make little or less.
2. (intransitive, noun-from-verb) To become small; to dwindle.

Opposite of

big, generous, large, small, tiny, adult, grown-up, old, capital, majuscule, uppercase

Synonyms

little

tiny

young

short

slight

insignificant

diminutive

minute

few

🤏

narrow

fine

trifling

minor

thin

low

petty

very small

trivial

a little

compact

modest

undersized

light

scanty

wee

humble

weak

miniature

minuscule

mean

poor

unimportant

meagre

lowercase

slim

cramped

pocket-size

petite

dwarfish

negligible

small-scale

pygmy

mini

baby

👶

lowly

limited

insufficient

inadequate

junior

paltry

Translations

petit

pequeño

klein

piccolo

klein

pequeno

petit

μικρός

chico

menudo

küçük

parvus

jeune

minuscule

Pronounced as (IPA)

/smɔːl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: smal

Inherited from Old English: smæl

Cognate with Scots: smal

Cognate with Western Frisian: smel

Cognate with Dutch: smal

Cognate with German: schmal

Cognate with Danish: -

Cognate with Norwegian: -

Cognate with Swedish: smal

Cognate with Latin: malus

Cognate with Russian: ма́лый

In summary

From Middle English smal, from Old English smæl (“small, narrow, slender”), from Proto-Germanic *smalaz (“small”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mal-, *(s)mel- (“small, mean, malicious”). Cognate with Scots smal; sma (“small”); West Frisian smel (“narrow”); Dutch smal (“narrow”); German schmal (“narrow, small”); Low German small (“narrow”); Danish, Norwegian, Swedish smal (“narrow; thin; slender”); Latin malus (“bad”); Russian ма́лый (mályj, “small”).

Sentences

It seemed such a little thing , so bright and small and still .

It is used for small , private planes .

All small packages are sent to a series of sorting machines .

The Greek musicians play on small portable folk style instruments .

Peasleville: A small town just outside of Black Brook .

Alternatively , the couple may jump over a small bonfire .