a little

noun
UK: /ə ˈlɪt.əl/
US: /ə ˈlɪt̬.əl/

  1. A small amount of something.

    1. I want a little sugar in my coffee, please. [ ] [ ]
    2. Could you add a little more detail to your explanation about that subject? [ ] [ ]

  2. A short time.

    1. I'll be there in a little while, don't worry. [ ] [ ]
    2. She waited a little longer, hoping he would eventually change his mind. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

somewhat a bit rather
a little adverb

  1. To a small extent; somewhat.

    1. I'm a little tired today, but I'm okay. [ ] [ ]
    2. He was a little surprised by her reaction, but he didn't say anything. [ ] [ ]
a little adjective

  1. Describes someone who is young.

    1. My a little sister is starting school soon. [ ] [ ]
    2. When I was a little boy, I loved to play outside every day. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "a little" in English means: A small amount of something., A short time..

The phonetic transcription of "a little" is /ə ˈlɪt.əl/ in British English and /ə ˈlɪt̬.əl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "a little": somewhat, a bit, rather.

Example usage of "a little": "I want a little sugar in my coffee, please.". More examples on the page.