Lilliputians
Diminutive fictional islanders
Lilliputians are the tiny inhabitants of Lilliput in Jonathan Swift's *Gulliver's Travels* (1726), standing about six inches tall.
The term extends to anything diminutive or trivial: Lilliputian concerns, a Lilliputian portion.
It often carries a note of condescension, suggesting pettiness alongside smallness.
Extremely small in size
- minusculeExtremely small in size
- pocket-sizedSmall enough to carry
- pint-sizedVery small in size
- weeExtremely small
elfin · bantam · undersized · microscopic · teeny · toylike · vest-pocket · dinky
Symbolic tale with deeper meaning
- social commentaryAnalysis of societal conditions
- political satireMockery of government
- mockeryScornful ridicule or travesty
- ironyMeaning opposite to words
parody · lampoon · caricature · critique · religious schism · court politics · human folly · hubris
Limited, ungenerous perspective
- trivialityUnimportant small matter
- quarrelingArguing angrily with another
- factionalismDivision into opposing cliques
- squabblingArguing over trivialities
bickering · political intrigue · grudges · jealousy · spite · vindictiveness · narrow-mindedness · parochialism
Ability to solve problems creatively
- inventivenessCapacity for original creation
- clevernessMental quickness and skill
- craftsmanshipSkill in making objects
- rope-makingCreating twisted fiber lines
engineering · precision · coordination · teamwork · industriousness · technical skill · problem-solving · construction
tiny
Extremely small in size
- minusculeExtremely small in size
- pocket-sizedSmall enough to carry
- pint-sizedVery small in size
wee · elfin · bantam · undersized · microscopic · teeny · toylike · vest-pocket · dinky · small-scale
Gulliver's Travels
- BrobdingnagImaginary land of giants
- YahoosCrude, uncultured people
allegory
Symbolic tale with deeper meaning
- social commentaryAnalysis of societal conditions
- political satireMockery of government
- mockeryScornful ridicule or travesty
irony · parody · lampoon · caricature · critique · religious schism · court politics · human folly · hubris · pretension
small-mindedness
Limited, ungenerous perspective
- trivialityUnimportant small matter
- quarrelingArguing angrily with another
- factionalismDivision into opposing cliques
squabbling · bickering · political intrigue · grudges · jealousy · spite · vindictiveness · narrow-mindedness · parochialism · nitpicking
resourcefulness
Ability to solve problems creatively
- inventivenessCapacity for original creation
- clevernessMental quickness and skill
- craftsmanshipSkill in making objects
rope-making · engineering · precision · coordination · teamwork · industriousness · technical skill · problem-solving · construction · binding
- Gulliver's TravelsGulliver, Swift, Brobdingnag, Yahoos, Lemuel
Lilliputiansgiants
Beings of immense stature
titans · colossi · behemoths · leviathans · ogres
Lilliputianstitans
Dominant powerful figures
giants · colossus · heavyweights · powerhouses · leviathans