tinier

Tinier is the comparative form of the adjective tiny, used to describe something that is smaller in size relative to another object or reference point. It conveys a greater degree of smallness than the base adjective tiny and appears in both spoken and written English. The standard superlative form is tiniest, as in the smallest of the group.

Etymology and form: Tiny is an English adjective with uncertain early origins, dating to the early Modern period. Tinier is formed by the regular comparative suffix -er. It follows patterns observed in other short, descriptive adjectives in English. The word can be used attributively, as in a tinier box, or predicatively, as in the box is tinier than the other one.

Usage: Tinier is common in everyday language and is suitable for describing physical dimensions or smallness in a comparative sense. In formal writing, alternatives such as smaller might be preferred for clarity, but tinier remains widely understood and accepted in natural prose. The phrase much tinier or tinier still is often used for emphasis. Comparative constructions include “X is tinier than Y” or “the tinier of the two options.”

See also: tiny, smallest, smaller, comparative adjectives.