little

• Décrit quelque chose comme étant petit en taille, en quantité ou en degré ; est également utilisé pour exprimer l'affection ou la tendresse.

Describes something as small in size, amount, or degree; also used to express affection or endearment.

1. Small in sizeA1formal

   Small in physical size or amount.

   Petit en taille

   • She has a little dog that follows her everywhere.
   • He lives in a little house by the lake.
   • The little kitten was sleeping in the basket.

   Synonymescompactdiminutiveminiatureminutepetitepocket-sizedslightsmalltinywee

   Antonymesbigenormousgiantgreathugelarge

2. Small in quantityA1formal

   Not much; a small amount of something.

   Petite quantité

   • There is little water left in the bottle.
   • She has little interest in politics.
   • He has little time to finish the project.

   Synonymesmeagerminimalnegligiblescantslightsmall

   Antonymesabundantamplemuchplenty

3. A1formal

   Used to describe someone who is young or younger than others.

   jeune

   • The little boy was playing in the park.
   • She has two little sisters.
   • When I was little, I loved to read fairy tales.

   Synonymesjuniorminorsmallweeyoung

   Antonymeseldergrownold

4. Insignificant or unimportantB1informal

   Not important or significant; trivial.

   Peu important, insignifiant

   • It's just a little problem; we can fix it easily.
   • Don't worry about the little details.
   • He made a little mistake in the report.

   Synonymesinconsequentialinsignificantminornegligiblepaltrypettytriflingtrivialunimportant

   Antonymesconsequentialimportantmajorsignificantweighty

• Adverbe signifiant « à un faible degré » ou « pas beaucoup ». Il sert à modifier des verbes, des adjectifs ou d'autres adverbes pour indiquer une quantité ou une intensité réduite. Peut aussi fonctionner comme déterminant ou adjectif.

An adverb meaning "to a small extent" or "not much." It is used to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs to indicate a small degree or amount. It can also function as a determiner or adjective.

1. To a small degreeA2formal

   Not much; only slightly.

   peu / pas beaucoup

   • She slept little last night.
   • He knows little about the subject.
   • The temperature changed little throughout the day.

   Synonymesbarelyhardlymarginallyminimallyscarcelyslightlysomewhat

   Antonymesgreatlymuchvery

2. Not at allB1formal

   Used to emphasize that something is not the case.

   Pas du tout

   • Little did she know that he was planning a surprise.
   • They little expected the sudden change in weather.
   • Little did they realize the consequences of their actions.

   Synonymesby no meansnowise

   Antonymesconsiderablygreatlymuchsubstantially

• Indique une petite quantité d'un nom non comptable, souvent avec une nuance d'insuffisance ou de manque.

A determiner used with uncountable nouns to indicate a small quantity. Without the article 'a', it has a negative connotation, meaning 'not much' or 'hardly any'.

1. Small quantity (negative connotation)B1formal

   Used with uncountable nouns to emphasize that the amount is small, often implying 'not enough' or 'less than expected'. It contrasts with 'a little', which is more positive.

   peu (quantité insuffisante)

   • There is little hope for recovery.
   • He has little interest in sports.
   • We have little time to finish the project.

2. Emphasis on scarcityB2formal

   Used to highlight the insufficiency or rarity of an abstract concept or substance.

   Emphase sur la rareté

   • Little is known about his early life.
   • She showed little remorse for her actions.
   • There was little evidence to support the claim.

• Substantif désignant une petite quantité, un faible degré ou une petite taille de quelque chose.

A noun referring to a small amount, degree, or size of something.

indénombrable

1. Small amountA1formal

   A small quantity or amount of something.

   Petite quantité

   • Add a little of sugar to the tea.
   • She only ate a little of her dinner.
   • He knows a little about the subject.

   Synonymesbitdashdrophintiotajotmodicumpinchsmidgensplashspotsprinkletadtouchtrace

   Antonymesabundancedeallotmuchplenty

2. Short distance or timeA1formal

   A short distance or period of time.

   Petit, courte distance ou période

   • We walked a little before resting.
   • Wait a little, and I'll be ready.
   • It's just a little further to the store.

   Synonymesbitmomentwhile