smallness
English
Alternative forms
- smallnesse (obsolete)
Etymology
From Middle English smalnesse; equivalent to small + -ness.
Noun
smallness (countable and uncountable, plural smallnesses)
- (uncountable) The state or quality of being small.
- His smallness didn't bother him, except when he needed something off the top shelf.
- 1658, Thomas Browne, “The Garden of Cyrus. […]. Chapter III.”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, […] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, […], London: […] Hen[ry] Brome […], →OCLC, page 136:
- The exiguity and ſmallneſſe of ſome ſeeds extending to large productions is one of the magnalities of nature, ſomewhat illuſtrating the work of the Creation, and vaſt production from nothing.
- 1963 January, “The Irish scene”, in Modern Railways, page 16:
- Mr. Howden forcibly expressed his view that the U.T.A. [Ulster Transport Authority] rail system "had reached the limit of its smallness".
- (countable) The result or product of being small.
Translations
state of being small
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References
- “smallness”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
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