little people
Americanplural noun
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(in folklore) small, imaginary beings, as elves, fairies, or leprechauns.
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the common people, especially workers, small merchants, or the like, who lead conventional, presumably unremarkable lives.
plural noun
Etymology
Origin of little people
First recorded in 1720–30
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.
However, Sian said she was surprised by how little people knew about stem cell donation.
From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026
One way to understand how little people thought of these teams’ chances before the start of the season is through their preseason odds.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 10, 2025
I’ve made so many friends and forged lifelong bonds with both little people and through the Film Challenge.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 12, 2025
Grab on to his cape and don’t worry about the little people on the ground.
From Salon • Jul. 13, 2025
High, high and away, the glaring white lights of the bridge— he thought he could see small figures there, little people moving in the white light.
From "The Voyage Of The Frog" by Gary Paulsen
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.
