itty-bitty

[ it-ee-bit-ee ]

adjective

, Informal.

1. very small; tiny.

Word History and Origins

Origin of itty-bitty¹

1890–95; rhyming compound based on little bit; -sy, -y ¹

Example Sentences

It’s a real small, little, itty-bitty church, and there’s a lot of love among the people.

From Los Angeles Times

The tiny folks of Lincoln Heights, for instance, send letters to the itty-bitty residences of the Pacoima branch.

From Los Angeles Times

Having never lived outside of Chicago, she prized her independence and was reluctant to leave her friends, weekly yoga classes and the "itty-bitty house" she had lived in for decades.

From BBC

Upon closer inspection, they realized it was a tiny mushroom erupting from the roughly thumb-size frog’s flank, like an itty-bitty fungal limb.

From New York Times

While listening to Soundgarden’s 1994 hit Black Hole Sun 2 years ago, he contemplated a curious question: Might itty-bitty black holes from the dawn of time be lurking in the hearts of giant stars?

From Science Magazine

Related Words

• insignificant
• microscopic
• miniature
• minuscule
• minute
• puny
• slight
• small
• teeny
• wee