small

Meanings

Adjective

• Not large or big; insignificant; few in number.
• Young, as a child.
• Minuscule or lowercase, referring to written or printed letters.
• Evincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; paltry; mean.
• Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short.
• Synonym of little
• Slender, gracefully slim.

Adverb

• In a small fashion
• In or into small pieces.
• To a small extent.
• In a low tone; softly.

Noun

• Any part of something that is smaller or slimmer than the rest, now usually with anatomical reference to the back.

Verb

• To make little or less.
• To become small; to dwindle.

Related

Similar words

• little, wee , young
• lowercase, minuscule

Opposite words

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

Origin

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