Standard Lemma guide

itsy-bitsy

adj · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈɪtsi ˈbɪtsi/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 T S IY0 B IH1 T S IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Very small; minuscule.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: childish, colloquial, humorous, often

Examples

  • The itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
  • She wore an itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny yellow polka-dot bikini.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: incy wincy, itty-bitty, teeny-weeny

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A very small thing; something tiny or insignificant.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: in-plural

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

(used informally) very small

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a wee tot

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bitty, bittie, teensy, teentsy, teeny, wee, weeny, weensy, teensy-weensy, teeny-weeny, itty-bitty

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From itty (baby-talk form of little) and/or bitsy.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: maličký — very small
  • Czech: mrňavý — very small
  • Czech: malinkatý — very small
  • Czech: prťavý — very small
  • Czech: pidi — very small
  • Danish: lillebitte — very small
  • Danish: småbitte — very small
  • Dutch: ietsepietsie — very small
  • Dutch: ietsjepietsje — very small
  • Esperanto: minuskla — very small
  • French: minuscule — very small
  • French: mini — very small
  • French: riquiqui — very small
  • French: mini-mini — very small
  • Hindi: इत्तु सी (ittu sī) — very small
  • Hungarian: icipici — very small