Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [ey lit-l]
- /eɪ ˈlɪt l/
- /ə ˈlɪtl/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [ey lit-l]
- /eɪ ˈlɪt l/
Definitions of a little words
- adjective a little small in size; not big; not large; tiny: a little desk in the corner of the room. 1
- adjective a little short in duration; not extensive; short; brief: a little while. 1
- adjective a little small in number: a little group of scientists. 1
- adjective a little small in amount or degree; not much: little hope. 1
- adjective a little of a certain amount; appreciable (usually preceded by a): We're having a little difficulty. 1
- adjective a little being such on a small scale: little farmers. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of a little
First appearance:
before 900 One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; Middle English, Old English lȳtel (lȳt few, small + -el diminutive suffix), cognate with Dutch luttel, Old High German luzzil, Old Norse lītill
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for A little
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
a little popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 99% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
a little usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for a little
determiner a little
- all — You use all to indicate that you are referring to the whole of a particular group or thing or to everyone or everything of a particular kind.
- several — being more than two but fewer than many in number or kind: several ways of doing it.
- each — every one of two or more considered individually or one by one: each stone in a building; a hallway with a door at each end.
- whatever — in any amount; to any extent: whatever merit the work has.
- a bit — A bit of something is a small amount of it.
adv a little
- barely — You use barely to say that something is only just true or only just the case.
- seldom — on only a few occasions; rarely; infrequently; not often: We seldom see our old neighbors anymore.
- rarely — on rare occasions; infrequently; seldom: I'm rarely late for appointments.
- hardly — only just; almost not; barely: We had hardly reached the lake when it started raining. hardly any; hardly ever.
- scarcely — barely; hardly; not quite: The light is so dim we can scarcely see.
Antonyms for a little
adv a little
- frequently — often; many times; at short intervals.
- more — Mossi (def 2).
- much — great in quantity, measure, or degree: too much cake.
- immoderate — not moderate; exceeding just or reasonable limits; excessive; extreme.
- unlimitedly — not limited; unrestricted; unconfined: unlimited trade.
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with a
- Words starting with al
- Words starting with ali
- Words starting with alit
- Words starting with alitt
- Words starting with alittl
- Words starting with alittle