little people

American  

[lit-l pee-puhl] / ˈlɪt l ˌpi pəl /

plural noun

1. (in folklore) small, imaginary beings, as elves, fairies, or leprechauns.

2. the common people, especially workers, small merchants, or the like, who lead conventional, presumably unremarkable lives.

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little people British  

plural noun

1. folklore small supernatural beings, such as elves, pixies, or leprechauns

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Etymology

Origin of little people

First recorded in 1720–30

Example Sentences

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

“Little by little, people started to ask to do it, which was fun,” says Becker.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2025

There’s very little people can do about the H5N1 circulating in wild birds.

From Salon • Feb. 12, 2025

"I have the problem that it’s not Putin that persecuted me but those little people I lived in the same city with," she says.

From BBC • Oct. 6, 2024

I turned the gourd upside- down to empty it, but no little people came tumbling out.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston