little English · revision 1847

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725 (Beowulf)|origins=gem-pro *lutilla-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈlɪt.ᵊl/ ''(UK)''; /ˈlɪt̬.ᵊl/ ''(US)''^(Roach et al. 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|litel]], [[m|enm|lutel]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|lȳtel|t=small; not much; short]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD) from [[gem-pro|*lutilla-]],^(Etymonline) perhaps originally a diminutive of the root of [[ang|lȳt|t=little, few]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002) Etymonline traces it further to [[ine-pro|*leud-|t=small]], and Barnhart to a root meaning “to depress, reduce”.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[nl|luttel]] and dialectal [[de|lützel]].^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) The similar [[non|lítill]] and [[got|𐌻𐌴𐌹𐍄𐌹𐌻𐍃|tr=leitils]] seem to come from a different base,^(Skeat 1911)^(Weekley 1921)^(Barnhart 1988) though Barnhart thinks the Norse word influenced the long vowel of ''little'' in some northern dialects.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Not large; small in size or number; short in time or distance; unimportant (Old English ''lȳtel'', about 725, in ''Beowulf'').^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The OED notes that ''little'' is often synonymous with ''small'' but can carry emotional implications that ''small'' cannot.^(Etymonline) It is compared with ''less'' and ''least'', formerly and in dialect with ''littler'' and ''littlest''.^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary) It was used in terms of endearment from the 1560s, and of a younger brother or sister from the 1610s.^(Etymonline) ''Little by little'' dates from the late 15th century.^(Etymonline) The phrase ''the little woman'', a wife, is recorded from 1795, ''little people'' for fairies from 1726, for children from 1752 and for ordinary people from 1827.^(Etymonline) ''A little sugar'' replaced earlier ''little of sugar''.^(Weekley 1921) Old English also had a verb [[m|ang|lȳtlian|t=to lessen, diminish]], now obsolete except in poetry.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) Later phrases include ''little death'', orgasm (1932, translating French ''petite mort''), ''little black dress'' (1939) and ''little green men'' (1950).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English ''lȳtel'', in ''Beowulf''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1066 – ''litle'', in the ''Peterborough Chronicle''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 12th century – ''little while''.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 15th century – ''little by little''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1560s – as a term of endearment.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1610s – younger (''little brother'').^(Etymonline)

+ * 1726 – ''little people'', fairies.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1795 – ''the little woman''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1939 – ''little black dress''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Small in size; not big.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Young or younger: ''my little brother''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # Short in duration or distance; brief.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # Small in quantity or degree.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Unimportant; [[trivial]].^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # Narrow-minded; [[petty]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Endearingly or contemptuously small: ''a cute little thing''.^(MW Collegiate)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ===Determiner===

+ # Not much: ''little hope''; with ''a'', a small amount of: ''a little money''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Not much; only slightly.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Not at all: ''little did he know''.^(AHD)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A small amount or degree; a short time or distance.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[littleness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[little by little]]

+ * [[belittle]]

+ * [[less]]

+ * [[least]]

+ * [[small]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Little'' is used with uncountable nouns, ''few'' with plural ones;^(Wiktionary) ''a little'' stresses that there is some, while ''little'' alone stresses scarcity.^(Wiktionary) According to the OED, the adjective has no recognized comparison, and ''littler'' and ''littlest'' are otherwise found in dialect or childish speech, so writers usually turn to ''smaller'' and ''smallest''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}