Lilliputian
|Lil-li-pu-tian|
C1
/ˌlɪlɪˈpjuːʃən/
extremely small
Etymology
Etymology Information
'Lilliputian' originates from the fictional island of 'Lilliput' in Jonathan Swift's novel 'Gulliver's Travels', where the inhabitants are tiny people.
Historical Evolution
'Lilliputian' was derived from the name 'Lilliput', a fictional place in Swift's novel, and became an adjective to describe something very small.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to the inhabitants of Lilliput, but over time it evolved to describe anything extremely small.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person or thing that is very small or diminutive.
The Lilliputians in the story were only six inches tall.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:42