small

/smɔl/

/smɔl/

Other forms: smaller; smallest; smalls

Things that are small are little. Children, lower-case letters, lady bugs, and thumb tacks are all small.

This is a comparative word for things that are tiny. A size small shirt won't fit a big person. If you ask for a small favor, it had better not be a big deal. When someone makes you feel small, that's not a physical thing: it means they made you feel bad, like less of a person. A Yorkie is a small dog, but it's not small compared to a mouse. Everything is small (and large) compared to something else.

Definitions of small

1. adjective

   limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
   “a small car”

   synonyms: little

   atomic

   immeasurably small

   subatomic

   of smaller than atomic dimensions

   bantam, diminutive, flyspeck, lilliputian, midget, petite, tiny

   very small

   bittie, bitty, itsy-bitsy, itty-bitty, teensy, teensy-weensy, teentsy, teeny, teeny-weeny, wee, weensy, weeny

   (used informally) very small

   dinky

   small and insignificant

   dwarfish

   atypically small

   elfin, elflike

   small and delicate

   gnomish

   used of small deformed creatures

   half-size

   half the usual or regular size

   infinitesimal, minute

   infinitely or immeasurably small

   lesser

   smaller in size or amount or value

   microscopic, microscopical

   so small as to be invisible without a microscope

   micro

   extremely small in scale or scope or capability

   miniature

   being on a very small scale

   miniscule, minuscule

   very small

   olive-sized

   about the size of an olive

   pocket-size, pocket-sized, pocketable

   small enough to be carried in a garment pocket

   puny, runty, shrimpy

   (used especially of persons) of inferior size

   slender, slim

   small in quantity

   littler, smaller

   small or little relative to something else

   smallish

   rather small

   small-scale

   created or drawn on a small scale

   undersize, undersized

   smaller than normal for its kind

   antonyms:

   large

   above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

   ample, sizable, sizeable

   fairly large

   astronomic, astronomical, galactic

   inconceivably large

   bear-sized

   large as a bear

   bigger, larger

   large or big relative to something else

   biggish, largish

   somewhat large

   blown-up, enlarged

   as of a photograph; made larger

   bouffant, puffy

   being puffed out; used of hair style or clothing

   broad, spacious, wide

   very large in expanse or scope

   bulky

   of large size for its weight

   capacious

   large in capacity

   colossal, prodigious, stupendous

   so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe

   deep

   large in quantity or size

   double

   large enough for two

   enormous, tremendous

   extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree

   cosmic

   inconceivably extended in space or time

   elephantine, gargantuan, giant, jumbo

   of great mass; huge and bulky

   epic, heroic, larger-than-life

   very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale)

   extended, extensive

   large in spatial extent or range or scope or quantity

   gigantic, mammoth

   so exceedingly large or extensive as to suggest a giant or mammoth

   great

   relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

   grand

   large and impressive in physical size or extent

   Brobdingnagian, huge, immense, vast

   unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

   hulking, hulky

   of great size and bulk

   banging, ginormous, humongous, thumping, walloping, whopping

   (used informally) very large

   king-size, king-sized

   extra large

   large-mouthed

   having a relatively large mouth

   large-scale

   unusually large in scope

   large-scale

   constructed or drawn to a big scale

   full-size, life-size, life-sized, lifesize

   being of the same size as an original

   macroscopic, macroscopical

   large enough to be visible with the naked eye

   macro

   very large in scale or scope or capability

   man-sized

   very large; appropriate to the size of a man

   massive, monolithic, monumental

   imposing in size or bulk or solidity

   massive

   imposing in scale or scope or degree or power

   medium-large

   of anything that is large but not the largest

   monstrous

   abnormally large

   mountainous

   like a mountain in size and impressiveness

   outsize, outsized, oversize, oversized

   larger than normal for its kind

   overlarge, too large

   excessively large

   plumping

   very large; of exceptional size for its kind

   queen-size, queen-sized

   (used especially of beds) not as large as king-size

   rangy

   allowing ample room for ranging

   super

   extremely large

   titanic

   of great force or power

   volumed

   formed or rising in rounded masses

   voluminous

   large in volume or bulk

   whacking

   (British informal) enormous

   wide-ranging

   including much
2. adjective

   limited in size or scope
   “a small business”

   “small-scale plans”

   synonyms: minor, modest, pocket-size, pocket-sized, small-scale

   limited

   small in range or scope
3. adjective

   slight or limited; especially in degree or intensity or scope
   “a series of death struggles with small time in between”

   synonyms:

   little, slight

   (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with `a') at least some
4. adjective

   (of children and animals) young, immature
   “small children”

   synonyms: little

   immature, young

   (used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
5. adjective

   not large but sufficient in size or amount
   “helped in my own small way”

   synonyms: modest

   moderate

   being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme
6. adjective

   lowercase
   “small a”

   synonyms: little, miniscule, minuscule

   lowercase

   relating to small (not capitalized) letters that were kept in the lower half of a compositor's type case
7. adjective

   have fine or very small constituent particles
   “a small misty rain”

   synonyms:

   fine

   of textures that are smooth to the touch or substances consisting of relatively small particles
8. noun

   a garment size for a small person
   type of:

   size

   the property resulting from being one of a series of graduated measurements (as of clothing)
9. adverb

   on a small scale
   “think small”

   antonyms:

   big

   on a grand scale
10. adjective

    low or inferior in station or quality
    “small beginnings”

    synonyms: humble, low, lowly, modest

    inferior

    of or characteristic of low rank or importance
11. adjective

    made to seem smaller or less (especially in worth)
    “her comments made me feel small”

    synonyms: belittled, diminished

    decreased, reduced

    made less in size or amount or degree
12. adjective

    (of a voice) faint
    “a still small voice”

    synonyms: little

    soft

    (of sound) relatively low in volume
13. noun

    the slender part of the back
    type of:

    body part

    any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity