| English Dictionary |
SMALL
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does small mean?
• SMALL (noun)
The noun SMALL has 2 senses:
1. the slender part of the back
2. a garment size for a small person
Familiarity information: SMALL used as a noun is rare.
• SMALL (adjective)
The adjective SMALL has 10 senses:
1. limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
2. relatively moderate, limited, or small
3. (of children and animals) young, immature
4. slight or limited; especially in degree or intensity or scope
5. low or inferior in station or quality
6. lowercase
7. (of a voice) faint
8. have fine or very small constituent particles
9. not large but sufficient in size or amount
10. made to seem smaller or less (especially in worth)
Familiarity information: SMALL used as an adjective is familiar.
• SMALL (adverb)
The adverb SMALL has 1 sense:
1. on a small scale
Familiarity information: SMALL used as an adverb is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
The slender part of the back
Classified under:
Nouns denoting body parts
Hypernyms ("small" is a kind of...):
body part (any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity)
Holonyms ("small" is a part of...):
back; dorsum (the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A garment size for a small person
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("small" is a kind of...):
size (the property resulting from being one of a series of graduated measurements (as of clothing))
| Declension: comparative and superlative |
Superlative: smallest
Sense 1
Meaning:
Limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
Synonyms:
little; small
Context example:
a little (or small) group
Similar:
miniature (being on a very small scale)
undersize; undersized (smaller than normal for its kind)
small-scale (created or drawn on a small scale)
smallish (rather small)
littler; smaller (small or little relative to something else)
slender; slim (small in quantity)
puny; runty; shrimpy ((used especially of persons) of inferior size)
pocket-size; pocket-sized; pocketable (small enough to be carried in a garment pocket)
olive-sized (about the size of an olive)
miniscule; minuscule (extremely small)
micro (extremely small in scale or scope or capability)
microscopic; microscopical (so small as to be invisible without a microscope)
infinitesimal; minute (infinitely or immeasurably small)
atomic (immeasurably small)
subatomic (of smaller than atomic dimensions)
bantam; diminutive; flyspeck; lilliputian; midget; petite; tiny (very small)
bittie; bitty; itsy-bitsy; itty-bitty; teensy; teensy-weensy; teentsy; teeny; teeny-weeny; wee; weensy; weeny ((used informally) very small)
dinky; insignificant (small and unimpressive)
dwarfish (atypically small)
elfin; elflike (small and delicate)
gnomish (used of small deformed creatures)
half-size (half the usual or regular size)
lesser (smaller in size or amount or value)
Attribute:
size (the physical magnitude of something (how big it is))
Antonym:
large (above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent)
Derivation:
smallness (the property of having a relatively small size)
smallness (the property of being a relatively small amount)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Relatively moderate, limited, or small
Synonyms:
minor; modest; pocket-size; pocket-sized; small; small-scale
Context example:
a pocket-size country
Similar:
limited (small in range or scope)
Derivation:
smallness (the property of having a relatively small size)
Sense 3
Meaning:
(of children and animals) young, immature
Synonyms:
little; small
Context example:
small children
Similar:
immature; young ((used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Slight or limited; especially in degree or intensity or scope
Context example:
a series of death struggles with small time in between
Similar:
little; slight ((quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with 'a') at least some)
Domain usage:
archaicism; archaism (the use of an archaic expression)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Low or inferior in station or quality
Synonyms:
humble; low; lowly; modest; small
Context example:
small beginnings
Similar:
inferior (of or characteristic of low rank or importance)
Sense 6
Meaning:
Lowercase
Synonyms:
Context example:
e.e.cummings's poetry is written all in minuscule letters
Similar:
lowercase (relating to small (not capitalized) letters that were kept in the lower half of a compositor's type case)
Sense 7
Meaning:
(of a voice) faint
Synonyms:
little; small
Context example:
a still small voice
Similar:
soft ((of sound) relatively low in volume)
Derivation:
smallness (the property of having relatively little strength or vigor)
Sense 8
Meaning:
Have fine or very small constituent particles
Context example:
a small misty rain
Similar:
fine (of textures that are smooth to the touch or substances consisting of relatively small particles)
Sense 9
Meaning:
Not large but sufficient in size or amount
Synonyms:
modest; small
Context example:
helped in my own small way
Similar:
moderate (being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme)
Derivation:
smallness (the property of being a relatively small amount)
Sense 10
Meaning:
Made to seem smaller or less (especially in worth)
Synonyms:
belittled; diminished; small
Context example:
her comments made me feel small
Similar:
decreased; reduced (made less in size or amount or degree)
Sense 1
Meaning:
On a small scale
Context example:
think small
Antonym:
big (on a grand scale)
Context examples
“But there will not be the smallest difficulty in filling it,” he added.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
The smallest of the cytoskeletal filaments.
(Actin Filament, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)
A small, cyclic pentapeptide vascular-targeting agent with potential antineoplastic and antiangiogenic activities.
(ADH-1, NCI Thesaurus)
The outer part of the adrenal gland (a small organ on top of each kidney).
(Adrenal cortex, NCI Dictionary)
The inner part of the adrenal gland (a small organ on top of each kidney).
(Adrenal medulla, NCI Dictionary)
The adrenal glands are small glands located on top of each kidney.
(Adrenal Gland Disorders, NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
So many instances within my small circle of friends is remarkable!
(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)
About 1869 or 1870 he came back to Europe and took a small estate in Sussex, near Horsham.
(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
The scales were small, making necessary many weighings, and Messner with precise care verified each weighing.
(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)
I did not stop to see what had become of the small boat, but sprang to the jib-sheet.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
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