little

Little is an English word that functions as an adjective, adverb, and, in some contexts, a noun as part of compounds. As an adjective it denotes small size, extent, amount, or importance: a little village, little chance, a little money. As an adverb it means to a small degree or amount, as in he understands little, or she smiled a little; it can also appear in fixed expressions such as little by little.

The word originates in Old English as lytel or litel, from a common Proto-Germanic root with cognates in other Germanic languages such as Dutch luttel and German lüttel. It has developed irregular comparative and superlative forms in common usage; littler and littlest exist but are rare, with less and least often preferred when referring to quantity.

In syntax, little commonly contrasts with much or a lot. It combines productively in compound adjectives such as little-known, little-used, and little-exactedly?—usually hyphenated before nouns.

In addition to its use as a common noun/adjective/adverb, Little is also a surname of English origin and appears in place names and various proper nouns. As a surname, it typically derives from a nickname for a small person or a toponymic source.

See also: small, littleness, least, less. The term is widely used across English-language literature, journalism, and speech to signal diminutive size or scope without specifying a precise measurement.