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• small time
  small time

  noun

  a circuit of minor theaters giving three or more shows daily.
• small-time
  small-time

  adjective

  of modest or insignificant size, importance, or influence.

small time

¹ American  

noun

1. a circuit of minor theaters giving three or more shows daily.

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small-time ² American  

[smawl-tahym] / ˈsmɔlˈtaɪm /

adjective

1. of modest or insignificant size, importance, or influence.

   a small-time politician.

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small-time British  

adjective

1. informal insignificant; minor

   a small-time criminal

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small time Idioms  

1. A modest or minor level of achievement, as in Her success took her out of the small time to prime-time television. This expression was originally used in vaudeville for second-rate theaters and productions. [Early 1900s] Also see big time, def. 2.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• small-timer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of small time¹

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25

Origin of small-time²

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

The challenge is tied to the interval between computational steps: to capture rapid events such as supernova evolution, the simulation must advance in very small time increments.

From Science Daily • Nov. 16, 2025

In the local vernacular, it has all been a bit small time.

From BBC • May 29, 2024

“It’s so much in such a small time period.”

From Seattle Times • Sep. 16, 2023

“We couldn’t have asked them to do any more than they did in such a small time being in law enforcement.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2022

But it isn’t silly, this preoccupation with small time units.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• petty