small

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   on a small scale

   think small

2. 2
   adj

   made to seem smaller or less, especially in worth

   Their comments made me feel small.

3. 3
   adj

   limited in size or scope

   a small business

4. 4
   adj

   have fine or very small constituent particles

   a small misty rain

5. 5
   adj

   Not large or big; insignificant; few in number.

   A small serving of ice cream.

6. 6
   adj

   Young, as a child.

   Remember when the children were small?

7. 7
   adj

   Minuscule or lowercase, referring to written or printed letters.

   "I've got catholic tastes. Catholic with a small "c", of course."

8. 8
   adj

   Evincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; paltry; mean.

   A true delineation of the smallest man is capable of interesting the greatest man.

Etymology

From Middle English smal, from Old English smæl (“small, narrow, slender”), from Proto-Germanic *smalaz (“small”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mal-, *(s)mel- (“small, mean, malicious”). Cognate with Scots smal; sma (“small”); West Frisian smel (“narrow”); Dutch smal (“narrow”); German schmal (“narrow, small”); Low German small (“narrow”); Danish, Norwegian, Swedish smal (“narrow; thin; slender”); Latin malus (“bad”); Russian ма́лый (mályj, “small”).