little man
Americannoun
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the common or ordinary person.
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Informal. the small, ordinary investor, as opposed to big investment institutions.
noun
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a man of no importance or significance
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a tradesman or artisan operating on a small scale
Etymology
Origin of little man
First recorded in 1930–35
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For more than two years our little man provided unending amusement.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026
He took things a step further in 2018, calling the Portuguese "a little man" and "fake".
From BBC • Sep. 28, 2024
To expend energy railing against this one petty, petty little man is to inveigh against the symptom, as opposed to the problem.
From Slate • May 22, 2024
During World War II there appeared a cartoon, I believe in The New Yorker: A mousy, James Thurber-esque little man is in front of a newsstand.
From Salon • Feb. 19, 2024
The little man leisurely recorded each answer in five different places, pausing often to polish his glasses, clear his throat, straighten his tie, and blow his nose.
From "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
