tiny

adjective

ti·​ny ˈtī-nē How to pronounce tiny (audio)
tinier; tiniest
: very small or diminutive : minute
tinily adverb
tininess noun
Choose the Right Synonym for tiny

small, little, diminutive, minute, tiny, miniature mean noticeably below average in size.

small and little are often interchangeable, but small applies more to relative size determined by capacity, value, number.

a relatively small backyard

little is more absolute in implication often carrying the idea of petiteness, pettiness, insignificance, or immaturity.

your pathetic little smile

diminutive implies abnormal smallness.

diminutive bonsai plants

minute implies extreme smallness.

a minute amount of caffeine in the soda

tiny is an informal equivalent to minute.

tiny cracks formed in the painting

miniature applies to an exactly proportioned reproduction on a very small scale.

a dollhouse with miniature furnishings

Examples of tiny in a Sentence

The computer chips were tiny. He's from a tiny town that you've probably never heard of. There's just one tiny little problem. Aren't you even a tiny bit scared?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Victims are more than just statistics A map on Holt’s website marks hundreds of accident sites, but the tiny dots are more than statistical points. Daryl Perry, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Nov. 2024 From the outside, Boca Chica appears to be a tiny village marked by a handful of houses along Boca Chica Beach. Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 21 Nov. 2024 Then the head turned ever so slightly, and this tiny helpless creature seemed to be looking up at me. Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 21 Nov. 2024 The tiny fiber is detailed in a study published November 21 in the journal Nanoscale Advances. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tiny 

Word History

Etymology

alteration of Middle English tine

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tiny was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near tiny

Cite this Entry

“Tiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tiny. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

tiny

adjective
ti·​ny ˈtī-nē How to pronounce tiny (audio)
tinier; tiniest
: very small : minute
tininess noun

More from Merriam-Webster on tiny

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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