itsy bitsy
Extremely small, playfully
Itsy bitsy means extremely small or tiny, with a playful or affectionate quality that makes it suitable for talking to or about children, pets, or anything endearingly diminutive.
The phrase is a reduplicative intensifier—each part reinforces the other to emphasize smallness.
The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
It appears in casual speech and children's contexts more than formal writing, and may also be spelled itsy-bitsy or itty-bitty.
- littleSmall in degree
- smallLimited in size
- spiderWeb-spinning arachnid
- teeny weenyExtremely small, playfully
- tinyExtremely small in size
nursery rhyme · children's song · miniature · wee · teensy · micro · teensy-weensy · waterspout · pocket-sized · whimsical · petite · playful · charming · song · endearing · childhood · lullaby · rain
itsy bitsyminuscule
Extremely small in size
microscopic · infinitesimal · diminutive · minute · negligible