Litle vs. Little — Which is Correct Spelling?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on March 28, 2024
"Litle" is a misspelling. The correct spelling is "Little", meaning small in size, amount, or degree.
Table of Contents
Which is correct: Litle or Little
How to spell Little?
Litle
Incorrect Spelling
Little
Correct Spelling
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Key Differences
"Little" things always have a double "t" like little kittens.
Remember, “It takes a little more, so add another ‘t’.”
Visualize a small "kettle"; both "kettle" and "little" have double "t"s.
Associate "little time" with "little 't's".
Think of "little" as having a "little extra", which is the second "t".
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How Do You Spell Little Correctly?
Incorrect: I have a litle time before my next meeting.
Correct: I have a little time before my next meeting.
Incorrect: He showed a litle interest in the project.
Correct: He showed a little interest in the project.
Incorrect: She had only a litle bit of cake left.
Correct: She had only a little bit of cake left.
Incorrect: They found a litle mistake in the report.
Correct: They found a little mistake in the report.
Incorrect: The puppy is so litle and cute.
Correct: The puppy is so little and cute.
Little Definitions
Small in size, amount, or degree.
She has a little dog.
Younger or youngest.
My little sister is adorable.
Not much; hardly any.
There's little hope of success.
Small in size, amount, or degree (often used to convey an appealing diminutiveness or express an affectionate or condescending attitude)
A little puppy dog
A boring little man
The plants will grow into little bushes
A small amount of
You only see a little of what he can do
We got a little help from a training scheme
Used to emphasize how small an amount is
The rouble is worth so little these days
He ate and drank very little
There was very little time to be lost
I have little doubt of their identity
To a small extent
I was always a little afraid of her
He reminded me a little of my parents
Only to a small extent; not much or often (used for emphasis)
He was little known in this country
He had slept little these past weeks
Small in size
A little dining room.
Small in quantity or extent
A little money.
A little work on the side.
Short in extent or duration; brief
There is little time left.
Unimportant; trivial
A little matter.
Narrow; petty
Mean little comments.
A little mind consumed with trivia.
Having scant power or influence; of minor status
Just a little clerk in the records office.
Being at an early stage of growth; young
A little child.
Younger or youngest. Used especially of a sibling
My little brother is leaving for college next week.
Not much; scarcely
Works long hours, sleeping little.
Not in the least; not at all
They little expected such a generous gift.
A small quantity or amount
Give me a little.
Something much less than all
I know little of their history.
A short distance or time
A little down the road.
Waited a little.
Small in size.
This is a little table.
Insignificant, trivial.
It's of little importance.
(offensive) Used to belittle a person.
Listen up, you little shit.
Very young.
Did he tell you any embarrassing stories about when she was little?
That's the biggest little boy I've ever seen.
(of a sibling) Younger.
This is my little sister.
(often capitalized) Used with the name of a place, especially of a country or its capital, to denote a neighborhood whose residents or storekeepers are from that place.
(derogatory) To imply that the inhabitants of the place have an insular attitude and are hostile to those they perceive as foreign.
Having few members.
Little herd
Operating on a small scale.
Little Steel (smaller steel companies, as contrasted with Big Steel)
Little Science (science performed by individuals or small teams, as contrasted with Big Science)
Short in duration; brief.
I feel better after my little sleep.
Small in extent of views or sympathies; narrow; shallow; contracted; mean; illiberal; ungenerous.
Not much.
This is a little known fact.
She spoke little and listened less.
We slept very little last night.
Not at all.
I was speaking ill of Fred; little did I know that he was right behind me, listening in.
Not much, only a little: only a small amount (of).
There is (very) little water left.
We had very little to do.
Not much; not a large amount.
Little is known about his early life.
A small amount.
Can I try a little of that sauce?
Little did he do to make me comfortable.
If you want some cake, there's a little in the refrigerator
Many littles make a mickle. (Scottish proverb)
A child; particularly an infant.
A newly initiated member of a sorority, who is mentored by a big.
The participant in ageplay who acts out the younger role.
(countable) One who has mentally age regressed to a childlike state.
Small in size or extent; not big; diminutive; - opposed to big or large; as, a little body; a little animal; a little piece of ground; a little hill; a little distance; a little child.
He sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
Short in duration; brief; as, a little sleep.
Best him enough: after a little time,I'll beat him too.
Small in quantity or amount; not much; as, a little food; a little air or water.
Conceited of their little wisdoms, and doting upon their own fancies.
Small in dignity, power, or importance; not great; insignificant; contemptible.
When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes?
Small in force or efficiency; not strong; weak; slight; inconsiderable; as, little attention or exertion;little effort; little care or diligence.
By sad experiment I knowHow little weight my words with thee can find.
That which is little; a small quantity, amount, space, or the like.
Much was in little writ.
There are many expressions, which carrying with them no clear ideas, are like to remove but little of my ignorance.
A small degree or scale; miniature.
A little, to or in a small degree; to a limited extent; somewhat; for a short time. " Stay a little."
The painter flattered her a little.
In a small quantity or degree; not much; slightly; somewhat; - often with a preceding it.
A small amount or duration;
He accepted the little they gave him
Limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent;
A little dining room
A little house
A small car
A little (or small) group
A small voice
(quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with `a') at least some;
Little rain fell in May
Gave it little thought
Little hope remained
Little time is left
We still have little money
A little hope remained
A little time is left
Of short duration or distance;
A brief stay in the country
In a little while
It's a little way away
Not fully grown;
What a big little boy you are
Small children
(informal terms) small and of little importance;
A fiddling sum of money
A footling gesture
Our worries are lilliputian compared with those of countries that are at war
A little (or small) matter
Mickey Mouse regulations
A dispute over niggling details
Limited to petty enterprises
Piffling efforts
Giving a police officer a free meal may be against the law, but it seems to be a picayune infraction
(of a voice) faint;
A little voice
A still small voice
Younger brother or sister;
Little brother
Lowercase;
Little a
Small a
E.e.cummings's poetry is written all in minuscule letters
Small in a way that arouses feelings (of tenderness or its opposite depending on the context);
A nice little job
Bless your little heart
My dear little mother
A sweet little deal
I'm tired of your petty little schemes
Filthy little tricks
What a nasty little situation
Not much;
He talked little about his family
Used to emphasize the smallness of something.
It's just a little problem.
Little Meaning in a Sentence
A little effort can make a big difference.
The little boy shared his toys with his friend.
Can you give me a little advice?
She added a little sugar to her coffee.
We took a little trip to the countryside.
They have a little garden in their backyard.
The little kitten curled up in her lap.
He read a little book before bedtime.
A little rain must fall into everyone's life.
The little bird flew away from its nest.
There's only a little milk left in the fridge.
A little patience goes a long way.
The little puppy barked excitedly.
She wore a little dress to the party.
The little boat sailed across the lake.
I have just a little homework left to do.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
She felt a little better after taking the medicine.
They shared a little laugh over the joke.
With just a little imagination, anything is possible.
He saved a little money each month.
I saw a little star twinkling in the sky.
The little details often make a big impact.
A little light shone through the window.
They found a little treasure in the attic.
Little Idioms & Phrases
A little goes a long way
A small amount is sufficient.
With spices, a little goes a long way.
Every little helps
Even the smallest contributions are helpful.
When it comes to saving the planet, every little helps.
Little did I know
Used to express that one was unaware of the true situation.
Little did I know, they had planned a surprise party for me.
The little things
Small details or elements that are important.
The little things in life often bring the most happiness.
Many a little makes a mickle
Many small amounts accumulate to make a large amount.
Many a little makes a mickle, so start saving now.
A little bird told me
Means getting information from a secret source.
A little bird told me it's your birthday today.
Little by little
Gradually, bit by bit.
Little by little, she improved her running speed.
Not a little
Quite a lot; significantly.
He was not a little surprised by the news.
Common Curiosities
What is the root word of Little?
"Little" itself is the root.
What is the plural form of Little?
"Little" as an adjective doesn't have a plural form, but "littles" can be used informally to refer to young children.
Which preposition is used with Little?
Various prepositions like "of" (a little of) or "in" (little in size) can be used.
Why is it called Little?
It's called "Little" to describe something that is small in size, amount, or degree.
Is Little a negative or positive word?
It's neutral, but context can give it positive or negative connotations.
What is the pronunciation of Little?
It is pronounced as /ˈlɪt.l̩/.
Is Little an adverb?
Yes, it can be used as an adverb, e.g., "He speaks little."
What is the verb form of Little?
"Little" doesn't have a direct verb form.
Which vowel is used before Little?
The letter "a" often precedes "little" as in "a little".
Is Little an abstract noun?
No, it's not an abstract noun.
Is Little a countable noun?
As an adjective, it's not countable. As a noun referring to a small amount, it's also not countable.
Is the Little term a metaphor?
Not inherently, but it can be used metaphorically.
Which conjunction is used with Little?
Any conjunction can be used with "little" depending on the context.
Is Little a vowel or consonant?
"Little" is a word containing both vowels and consonants.
How many syllables are in Little?
"Little" has two syllables.
How do we divide Little into syllables?
It's divided as lit-tle.
What is the first form of Little?
"Little" is not a verb, so it doesn't have verb forms.
What is the singular form of Little?
"Little" is already in its singular form.
Is Little a noun or adjective?
"Little" can be both an adjective and a noun.
Is the word “Little” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Little" can function as a direct object when used as a noun, e.g., "I have little."
What part of speech is Little?
"Little" can be an adjective, noun, or adverb.
What is the opposite of Little?
"Big" or "large".
Is the word Little imperative?
No, "little" is not imperative.
What is another term for Little?
"Small" or "tiny".
Which determiner is used with Little?
Determiners like "this" or "that" can be used, e.g., "this little cat".
What is the third form of Little?
"Little" is not a verb, so it doesn't have verb forms.
Which article is used with Little?
Both "a" and "the" can be used, e.g., "a little bit" or "the little dog".
Is Little a collective noun?
No, "little" is not a collective noun.
Is the word Little a gerund?
No, "little" is not a gerund.
What is a stressed syllable in Little?
The first syllable "lit" is stressed.
What is the second form of Little?
"Little" is not a verb, so it doesn't have verb forms.
How is Little used in a sentence?
"She read a little book before bedtime."
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Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
