lítill

lítill is an Icelandic adjective meaning small or little. It is a basic descriptor used to indicate physical size, extent, or degree, and appears in everyday speech as well as literature. The word functions as a descriptive modifier and can be used both attributively before a noun and predicatively after a linking verb, in accordance with standard Icelandic adjective inflection. Like other adjectives in Icelandic, lítill inflects for gender, number, and definiteness, so its form changes depending on how it is used in a sentence and on the noun it describes.

Etymology and cognates

lítill derives from Old Norse lítill and is cognate with several North Germanic forms in other Scandinavian languages. Related terms include Norwegian liten, Swedish liten, and Danish lille, reflecting a common Germanic root for “small.” The Icelandic form has preserved a distinct pronunciation and orthographic tradition that aligns with the language’s historical development.

Usage and register

In contemporary Icelandic, lítill is widely used across registers—from everyday conversation to formal writing—to convey size or extent. It can convey a simple descriptive sense or contribute to nuance when paired with other adjectives or in comparative constructions, though exact inflection patterns follow standard Icelandic grammar for adjectives. It remains a common, neutral synonym for small in many contexts and does not carry specialized technical meaning on its own.

See also

Icelandic grammar, Icelandic adjectives, Proto-Germanic language family.