Itty-bitty

Itty-bitty is an adjective used to describe something that is extremely small, insignificant, or tiny. It's often used in a playful or endearing way to emphasize the diminutive size or importance of something. The word frequently implies a sense of cuteness or harmlessness due to its diminutive form and repetition of syllables. While it can be used objectively to describe physical size, it can also carry a subjective connotation of insignificance or triviality, depending on the context. The term is generally informal and more common in spoken language than formal writing.

Itty-bitty meaning with examples

• The new puppy was so itty-bitty; we were almost afraid to pick it up for fear of accidentally hurting it, because it could easily fit in the palm of your hand, it was so small and vulnerable.
• She found an itty-bitty crack in her windshield that initially seemed negligible, but she knew even that small damage could quickly spread into something much more expensive to fix.
• He offered an itty-bitty apology after completely forgetting their anniversary, claiming work had been busy, but she felt it wasn't enough to mend her hurt feelings after such an oversight.
• The town had an itty-bitty population compared to the neighboring city, which made its close-knit community feel both charming and occasionally a little too aware of everyone's business.