"small, little" in seven languages
Meaningsmall, little
Spanish
/peˈkeɲo/
other source · of uncertain origin, probably from an expressive root *pikk- 'tiny'
Chico is a common, more colloquial synonym.
French
/pəti/
other source · spoken Latin *PITTITTUM, from an expressive root *pitt- 'tiny'
Italian
/ˈpikkolo/
other source · from an expressive root *pikk- 'tiny' (DELI)
Portuguese
/peˈkenu/
other source · of uncertain origin, probably from an expressive root *pikk- 'tiny'
Romanian
/mik/
other source · of uncertain origin, probably an expressive root *mikk- 'tiny'
Catalan
/pəˈtit/
other source · an expressive root *pitt- 'tiny', as French petit
English
/smɔl/
native English · Old English smæl
The story
Latin's PARVUS left no everyday heir: each sister built 'small' from baby-talk syllables like pikk- and pitt-, so the three words are only loosely related at best.
Learn it
In a sentence
- esEs un pueblo pequeño.
- frC'est une petite ville.
- itÈ un paese piccolo.
- ptÉ uma cidade pequena.
- roE un oraș mic.
- caÉs un poble petit.
- enIt's a small town.