Phrase guide

small screen

noun · 2 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.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The broadcast or cable television screen, as opposed to the cinema screen (or big screen)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: broadcasting, media

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The medium of television.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

Examples

  • Jane Smith made her small-screen debut in 1998, appearing as a patient in a hospital drama.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Analogy with big screen.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 電視 /电视 (diànshì) — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Dutch: kleine scherm — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Finnish: kuvaruutu — broadcast or cable television screen
  • French: petit écran — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Greek: μικρή οθόνη (mikrí othóni) — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Hebrew: המסך הקטן (hamasakh hakatan) — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Italian: piccolo schermo — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Macedonian: мал екра́н (mal ekrán) — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Macedonian: ма́ли екра́ни (máli ekráni) — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Polish: mały ekran — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Portuguese: telinha — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Romanian: micul ecran — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Russian: ма́лый экра́н (mályj ekrán) — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Spanish: pequeña pantalla — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Spanish: pantalla chica — broadcast or cable television screen
  • Tamil: சின்னத்திரை (ciṉṉattirai) — broadcast or cable television screen