adj · adv · det · noun · prep_phrase · pron · 15 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
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Received-Pronunciation:/liːst/
General-American:/list/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
homophone: leased
rhymes with -iːst
CMU ARPABET:L IY1 S T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.
Chiefly used with abstract nouns: less than all others in extent or size; littlest, smallest.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
least common multiple
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: slightest
Antonyms: greatest, most
2
adj
Meaning 2
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.
Chiefly used with abstract nouns: less than all others in extent or size; littlest, smallest.
Of two or more animals or plants with the same name: the smaller or smallest.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
least weasel
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: slightest
Antonyms: greatest, most
3
adj
Meaning 3
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.
Lowest in importance or status; most insignificant or unimportant.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: greatest, most
4
adj
Meaning 4
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.
Followed by an agent noun: of a person: who does some action to the smallest degree.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: greatest, most
5
adv
Meaning 5
In a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: negative, superlative
Examples
My best routine was the one I had practised the least.
I don’t much like housework, and doing the dishes least of all.
That decision rewards those who least deserve it.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: most
6
adv
Meaning 6
Used to form superlatives of adjectives, especially those that do not form the superlative by adding -est.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: negative, superlative
Examples
It was the least surprising thing.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: most
7
det
Meaning 7
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.
Smallest in amount or extent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He earns the least money in his family.
Of all the sisters, she has the least patience.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: greatest, most
8
det
Meaning 8
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.
Followed by a plural noun: the smallest number of; the fewest.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Whichever queue contains the least items by the time this logic branch is reached will be executed first.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: most
9
det
Meaning 9
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.
Any, no matter how small in amount or extent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
not even the least amount
It is indicative of his true character that he could not manage to show even the least bit of courtesy in such a situation.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
Preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little; the lowest-ranking or most insignificant person or (sometimes) group of people.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
even the least of
The pastor preached that even the least of God’s creatures deserves freedom from needless or idle cruelty.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
Something of the smallest possible extent; an indivisible unit; a minimum.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
prep_phrase
Meaning 12
At least.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal, nonstandard
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
pron
Meaning 13
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little; the smallest amount or extent of something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I’m giving least of all towards her present.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
adverb
Meaning 14
used to form the superlative
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The garter snake is the least dangerous snake
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: to the lowest degree
Antonyms: most
15
noun
Meaning 15
something that is of no importance
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
it is the least I can do
that is the least of my concerns
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: matter, affair, thing
History
Etymology
The adjective, determiner, and noun are derived from Middle English leste, lest, last (“(adjective) smallest, least; (noun) smallest thing, etc.; person or thing least in importance; etc.”), from Old English lǣst, a contraction of læsast, læsest (“least”) (also lærest in only one source), from Proto-Germanic *laisistaz (“smallest, least”), from *laisiz (“less”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *leh2is- or *leh3is-; whence modern English less) + *-istaz (“suffix forming superlative forms of some adjectives”). The adverb and pronoun are derived from the adjective or determiner. cognates * Old Frisian leist * Old Saxon lēs
Contraction of at least.
Across languages
Translations
57 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Finnish:
pieni-
— of two or more animals or plants with the same name: the smaller or smallest
Finnish:
vähin
— lowest in importance or status; most insignificant or unimportant
Albanian:
më pak
— in a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree
Bulgarian:
най-малко
(naj-malko)
— in a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree
Finnish:
vähiten
— in a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree
French:
moindre
— in a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree
French:
moins
— in a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree
Ancient Greek:
ἥκιστα
(hḗkista)
— in a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree
Italian:
meno
— in a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree
Latin:
minimē
— in a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree
Spanish:
lo más mínimo
— in a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree
Spanish:
menos
— in a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree
Swedish:
minst
— in a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree
Ukrainian:
найменше
(najmenše)
— in a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree
Finnish:
vähiten
— used to form superlatives of adjectives, especially those that do not form the superlative by adding -est
Albanian:
më pak
— smallest in amount or extent
Arabic:
أَقَلَّ
(ʔaqalla)
— smallest in amount or extent
Bulgarian:
зрънце
(zrǎnce)
— smallest in amount or extent
Bulgarian:
грам
(gram)
— smallest in amount or extent
Bulgarian:
капчица
(kapčica)
— smallest in amount or extent
Chinese Mandarin:
至少
(zhìshǎo)
— smallest in amount or extent
Chinese Mandarin:
最少
(zuìshǎo)
— smallest in amount or extent
Chinese Mandarin:
最小
(zuìxiǎo)
— smallest in amount or extent
Czech:
nejméně
— smallest in amount or extent
Dutch:
minst
— smallest in amount or extent
Esperanto:
plej malmulta
— smallest in amount or extent
Finnish:
vähin
— smallest in amount or extent
Finnish:
pienin
— smallest in amount or extent
French:
le moindre
— smallest in amount or extent
French:
le plus petit
— smallest in amount or extent
Galician:
mínimo
— smallest in amount or extent
German:
geringst
— smallest in amount or extent
German:
kleinst
— smallest in amount or extent
German:
minimalst
— smallest in amount or extent
Gothic:
𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌽𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃
(minnists)
— smallest in amount or extent
Ancient Greek:
ὀλίγιστος
(olígistos)
— smallest in amount or extent
Ancient Greek:
ἥκιστος
(hḗkistos)
— smallest in amount or extent
Hungarian:
legkisebb
— smallest in amount or extent
Irish:
íosta
— smallest in amount or extent
Italian:
minimo
— smallest in amount or extent
Japanese:
最小の
(saishō no)
— smallest in amount or extent
Korean:
가장 적게
(gajang jeokge)
— smallest in amount or extent
Latin:
minimus
— smallest in amount or extent
Norwegian Bokmål:
minst
— smallest in amount or extent
Norwegian Nynorsk:
minst
— smallest in amount or extent
Polish:
najmniej
— smallest in amount or extent
Portuguese:
mínimo
— smallest in amount or extent
Russian:
наиме́ньший
(naiménʹšij)
— smallest in amount or extent
Serbo-Croatian:
minimalan
— smallest in amount or extent
Serbo-Croatian:
najmanji
— smallest in amount or extent
Spanish:
mínimo
— smallest in amount or extent
Swedish:
minst
— smallest in amount or extent
Ukrainian:
найменший
(najmenšyj)
— smallest in amount or extent
Woiwurrung:
wy krook
— smallest in amount or extent
Zazaki:
peyênên
— smallest in amount or extent
Finnish:
vähäarvoinen
— lowest-ranking or most insignificant person or group of people
Finnish:
vähiten
— smallest amount or extent of something
