lítil

Lítil is an Icelandic adjective meaning small or little. It is used to describe size, extent, or degree and can modify nouns or function predicatively in a sentence. For example, húsið er lítið (the house is small) and stelpan er lítil (the girl is small) illustrate its use with feminine subjects. Icelandic adjectives are inflected for gender, number, and definiteness, so lítil has corresponding forms for masculine and neuter, and its endings change in plural and in definite constructions.

As a common descriptive word, lítil appears in everyday language to denote physical dimensions as well as metaphorical scope, such as a lítið magn or lítil áhrif (a small amount or small influence). It also participates in idiomatic expressions like lítið sem ekkert, meaning little or nothing.

Etymologically, lítil is related to cognates in other North Germanic languages and to the English word little, reflecting shared Germanic roots. It is not a proper noun and is primarily used as a descriptive term in Icelandic, appearing in literature, journalism, education, and spoken language.

In summary, lítil is a basic, widely used Icelandic adjective for smallness, with inflection patterns that align with gender, number, and definiteness, and with common usage in both literal and figurative contexts. See also the related forms lítill and lítið for masculine and neuter singular, respectively, and note its role in expressions such as lítið sem ekkert.