Phrase guide

wee small hours

noun · 1 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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1

noun

Meaning 1

Synonym of wee hours.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, plural, plural-normally

Examples

  • He worked into the wee small hours to get everything perfect for the opening day.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: wee hours

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Scots wee sma' hours (first attested in 1819).

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: de vroege uurtjes — very early morning
  • French: petites heures du matin — very early morning
  • French: petites heures de la matinée — very early morning
  • French: petit matin — very early morning
  • French: petites heures — very early morning
  • Galician: pola mañanciña — very early morning
  • German: früher Morgen — very early morning
  • German: Morgengrauen — very early morning
  • Italian: ore piccole — very early morning
  • Italian: mattinata — very early morning
  • Polish: pogańska godzina — very early morning
  • Russian: предрассве́тные часы́ (predrassvétnyje časý) — very early morning
  • Scots: wee sma' hours — very early morning
  • Serbo-Croatian: ситни сати — very early morning
  • Serbo-Croatian: sitni sati — very early morning
  • Spanish: madrugada — very early morning
  • Spanish: altas horas — very early morning
  • Swedish: småtimmar — very early morning