Slang dictionary
li’l
or lil or lil’
What does li’l mean?
Li’l is an abbreviation of the word little. It’s often used in names or titles to emphasize youth or physical size.
Where does li’l come from?
Examples of li’l
Sunday fun.....
#cjsingh #familyfun #daughter #proud #rockstar #lil #master ##sunday#fun”
Who uses li’l?
Li’l can be used as a descriptor for height or age. It’s often applied to the beginning of a name or title, or used regularly as an adjective. Its abbreviated form usually suggests humor, affection, or cuteness. It may also imply that a character is rural or Southern.
In hip-hip, a lot of rappers choose to name themselves “Li’l ____” for a number of reasons. Some, like Lil Wayne and Lil’ Kim, use lil to allude to their short stature. Others, like Lil’ Romeo, use lil in reference to their age (since maturing, this particular rapper has dropped the Lil’ and just goes by Romeo). These names often begin as nicknames created by friends.
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of li’l like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of li’l that will help our users expand their word mastery.