small
small — adjective
1. having less size, quantity, or degree than what people think of as typical
having less size, quantity, or degree than what people think of as typical
The kitten was so small that it fit in Ramón's hand.
so + adjective + that-clause for result
Salma's family lives in a small house near the river.
We only need a small amount of butter for this cake.
collocation: small amount of
The suitcase is small enough to take onto the plane.
adjective + enough + to-infinitive
Hoa picked a small flower and gave it to her grandmother.
- small amount
- small size
- small piece
- small number
- small room
Usage Note
Used for both physical size and abstract quantities (a small number, a small fee).
Common Mistakes
2. at an early stage of life — past the baby years but still very young
at an early stage of life — past the baby years but still very young
Sumin was very small when she first learned to swim.
used for children, not babies — implies toddler or young child age
The small children played together in the sandbox all morning.
Sora's brother is still small — he just started his first year of school.
Nikos has been teaching small children how to swim for years.
collocation: small children
A small child needs help with buttons and zippers.
- small child
- small children
- small boy
- small girl
- big
used informally for older children: 'my big sister'
Usage Note
Only used for people who have passed the baby stage but are not yet school-age or just starting school. Not used for teenagers or adults.
Common Mistakes
3. limited in what you do or in how many people or activities are involved
limited in what you do or in how many people or activities are involved
Gita runs a small business that sells handmade furniture.
collocation: small business
The bakery started on a small scale, selling only to neighbours at first.
collocation: on a small scale
The café made small changes to the menu based on customer feedback.
A small group of volunteers cleaned up the park after the storm.
collocation: small group
Sivan's company started small but now has fifty employees.
- small business
- small scale
- small group
- small change
- small operation
- large-scale
covering a wide range or involving many people
4. of little significance and unlikely to create difficulties
of little significance and unlikely to create difficulties
The broken zipper was only a small problem, and we fixed it quickly.
Adaeze did not get angry about small mistakes in the report.
collocation: small mistake
Emre and Hugo had a small disagreement about weekend plans, but they laughed it off later.
collocation: small disagreement
The design team spent too much time on small details like the font colour.
collocation: small detail
Jenna refused to argue with her roommate over such a small matter.
- small problem
- small mistake
- small matter
- small issue
- small detail
Common Mistakes
5. feeling ashamed, embarrassed, or less important than others, usually because of
feeling ashamed, embarrassed, or less important than others, usually because of something someone said or did
After losing the race, Allison felt very small and wanted to hide.
pattern: feel small
The manager's rude comments made Selim feel small in front of everyone.
pattern: make someone feel small
Ramón felt small when he realized he could not help his friends.
Adaeze's confident speech made Nikos feel small about his own effort.
- feel small
- make someone feel small
- look small
- ashamed
more direct and common; focuses on guilt about a specific action
- humiliated
stronger — implies public embarrassment
- proud
feeling good about oneself — the opposite emotional state
Grammar Patterns
feel + small
make + object + feel + small
Usage Note
Almost always follows verbs like feel, make, or look. Rarely used alone as a direct description ('He is small' would be interpreted as sense 1).
Common Mistakes
6. using the smaller form of a letter — such as 'a' instead of 'A'
using the smaller form of a letter — such as 'a' instead of 'A'
Christopher wrote his name in small letters at the bottom of the page.
collocation: in small letters
Hugo wrote his address in small letters on the envelope, as the form required.
Gita learned to write capital letters before she learned small ones.
The sign was printed in small letters that were hard to read.
Lucía's teacher asked her to fix any small letters that should be capitals in her essay.
contrast: small vs capital letters
- small letter
- small letters
- in small letters
- lowercase
the technical term in printing and computing; more formal than small
Common Mistakes
it's a small world
idiomused to express surprise when you meet someone you know in an unexpected place or discover a connection with a stranger
I met my old neighbour from Taipei at a café in Paris. It's a small world, isn't it?
Sora discovered that the person sitting next to her on the flight grew up on her street in Seoul. "What a small world!" she said.
used to say that something is not surprising at all
With three of their best players injured, it was no small wonder the team lost the match.
Salma studied so hard for the exam that her high score came as no small wonder to her friends.
the small hours
idiomthe early morning hours, roughly from midnight to around 4 a.m.
Eshe was still awake in the small hours, finishing her report.
The party went on into the small hours of the morning.
someone who is important or powerful within a small group or organisation, but would be less important in a larger setting
Nikos was the top manager at a local firm — a big fish in a small pond.
Hugo left his hometown for the capital and realised he was no longer a big fish in a small pond.
the small print
idiomthe part of a legal document or contract that is printed in small letters and contains important conditions that people sometimes miss
Always read the small print before signing a contract.
Hoa found a hidden fee in the small print of the insurance policy.
To feel happy that a bad situation is not even worse than it is.
Maya was grateful for small mercies when she only broke her arm.
The rain stopped just in time for the picnic; we should be thankful for small mercies.
An important or influential person within a small or limited group.
Diego was a big fish in a small pond at his local club.
After moving to the city, she was no longer a big fish in a small pond.
An advice to not worry about unimportant details or minor problems.
Sara told her friend to don't sweat the small stuff before the exam.
When planning the party, remember to don't sweat the small stuff.
great and small
idiomIncluding all sizes or types, from the largest to the smallest.
The zoo cares for animals great and small with equal attention.
All creatures great and small deserve our respect and care.
in a big/small way
idiomTo a large or small extent or scale.
The company expanded its business in a big way last year.
Min started investing in a small way with just a few stocks.
it’s a small world
idiomUsed to express surprise when meeting someone you know in an unexpected place or finding a mutual connection.
When I met my old neighbor in Paris, I said, "It's a small world!"
Finding out that your new colleague knows your cousin—it's a small world.
look/feel small
idiomTo appear or feel foolish, embarrassed, or insignificant.
His harsh criticism made her feel small in front of everyone.
When I forgot my speech, I looked small on the stage.
It is not surprising; something is expected given the circumstances.
It's no wonder he failed the test; he never studied.
Small wonder she was upset after losing her job.
The time very early in the morning, soon after midnight.
The party continued into the small hours of the morning.
She often works until the early hours to meet deadlines.
It is not surprising; something is expected given the circumstances.
It's small wonder that the team lost; they had no practice.
No wonder you are tired after running ten miles.
The inner voice of conscience or God that guides moral decisions.
He listened to the still small voice and returned the lost wallet.
The still small voice told her to apologize for her mistake.
small — adverb
1. into a small size or small pieces
into a small size or small pieces
Cut the vegetables small so they cook more quickly.
pattern: cut + object + small
Sivan writes so small that I need a magnifying glass to read it.
pattern: write + small
Fold the map small so it fits inside your jacket pocket.
The baker rolled the dough small before cutting out cookie shapes.
- cut small
- chop small
- write small
- fold small
- finely
used specifically for cutting or grinding into very small pieces (finely chopped)
- large
adverb in phrases like 'write large', 'cut large'
Grammar Patterns
verb + small
Usage Note
Common in fixed verb phrases: cut something small, write small, fold small. The adverb always follows the verb.
small — noun
1. the narrow part of a person's back between the ribs and the hips
the narrow part of a person's back between the ribs and the hips
Salma felt a sharp pain in the small of her back after gardening all day.
pattern: the small of [possessive] back
The doctor pressed gently on the small of Hoa's back during the check-up.
After sitting all day, Christopher felt a sore spot in the small of his back.
A small cushion supports the small of your back while you drive.
- the small of the back
- the small of my back
Grammar Patterns
the small of [possessive] back
Usage Note
Always used with the definite article and followed by 'of' plus a possessive: 'the small of my/his/her/your back'. Never used alone ('My small hurts').
Common Mistakes
2. items of underwear, particularly when they are being washed or packed for a trip
items of underwear, particularly when they are being washed or packed for a trip
Gita put the smalls in the washing machine with the towels.
informal British usage: smalls = underwear
The hotel offers a small bag for guests to wash their smalls by hand.
Baraka packed his smalls in a separate bag before his holiday trip.
The hotel laundry collected towels and smalls separately.
- wash the smalls
- pack smalls
- smalls
Usage Note
An old-fashioned or informal British term. Usually plural (smalls). More common in the context of laundry than daily conversation.
Word family
- smallnessnounB2
- smallishadjectiveB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
Small is the most neutral and common word for describing size — it works for objects, amounts, and spaces. Little is more subjective and often carries affection or emotion: 'a little kitten' sounds warmer than 'a small kitten'. Tiny is stronger and means 'extremely small' — a tiny insect is noticeably smaller than a small one. Compact describes something that is small and neatly arranged, often with a positive tone: 'a compact apartment' suggests smart use of space, not just a cramped room. Miniature refers to an exact smaller copy of something bigger, like a miniature train set. In writing, choose small for neutral description, little for a warm or emotional tone, and tiny when you want to emphasise just how small something is. For example: 'Salma lives in a small flat near the station, but her tiny kitchen only fits one person at a time.'
Common collocations
Nouns
- small size
- small amount
- small number
- small quantity
Adverbs
- relatively small
- fairly small
- quite small
- too small
- very small
- extremely small
Phrases
- big and small
- small but ...
- large and small
Prepositions
- small for
- small in
Etymology
Small comes from Old English 'smæl', meaning thin or slender. It is related to similar words in other Germanic languages, such as Old High German 'smal' (small) and Old Norse 'smali' (small cattle, like sheep). In early English, it was used for narrow or thin objects before broadening to mean 'not large in general'. The noun sense 'the small of the back' comes from the idea of a slender or narrow part, while the noun sense 'smalls' for underwear dates from the 19th century, from 'small clothes' meaning undergarments.