Little

Pronunciation: /ˈlɪtəl/

Definitions of little

adjective describes a noun as being small in size or amount

Example Sentences

A1 I have a little dog.

A2 She added a little sugar to her coffee.

B1 There is a little park near my house.

B2 He has a little bit of knowledge about the subject.

C1 The company made a little profit last quarter.

C2 She has a little black dress that she wears to formal events.

adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb by indicating a small degree or extent

Example Sentences

A1 I have a little dog.

A2 She spoke a little French.

B1 I can understand a little bit of Spanish.

B2 He was a little nervous before the presentation.

C1 She was a little hesitant to accept the job offer.

C2 The professor was a little critical of the student's thesis.

Examples of little in a Sentence

formal The little girl picked flowers in the garden.

informal I have a little bit of time to spare before the meeting.

slang Let's grab a little bite to eat at the food truck.

figurative His little white lie ended up causing a lot of trouble.

Grammatical Forms of little

• past tense: littled
• plural: littles
• comparative: littler
• superlative: littlest
• present tense: little
• future tense: will little
• perfect tense: have little
• continuous tense: is littling
• singular: little
• positive degree: little
• infinitive: to little
• gerund: littling
• participle: littled

Origin and Evolution of little

First Known Use: 0825 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'little' originated from the Old English word 'lytel' which was derived from the Proto-Germanic word 'littilaz'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'little' has retained its original meaning of small size or amount, but has also evolved to be used in various figurative and informal contexts to convey a sense of endearment or familiarity.