Lilliputian

1 of 2

adjective

Lil·​li·​pu·​tian ˌli-lə-ˈpyü-shən How to pronounce Lilliputian (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the Lilliputians or the island of Lilliput
2
often not capitalized
a
: small, miniature
a Lilliputian camera
b
: petty

Lilliputian

2 of 2

noun

1
: an inhabitant of Lilliput
2
often not capitalized : one resembling a Lilliputian
especially : an undersized individual

Examples of Lilliputian in a Sentence

Adjective to the Lilliputian minds of that small town any depiction of the nude, regardless of its artistry, was pornographic a model train carrying Lilliputian figures through a miniature landscape
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Photograph: Ted Stryk/NASA/SwRI/MSS Yet the relatively small hearts in Lilliputian moons like Enceladus don’t contain enough radioactive matter to keep them toasty for billions of years. WIRED, 24 Dec. 2023 Recent viral evening bags have been shaped like pigeons, covered in crystals and rendered useless by Lilliputian proportions. Aria Darcella / Photographs By F. Martin Ramin/the Wall Street Journal; Prop Styling By Sean Dooley , WSJ, 24 Nov. 2023 Yet the relatively small hearts in Lilliputian moons like Enceladus don’t contain enough radioactive matter to keep them toasty for billions of years. Quanta Magazine, 2 Nov. 2023 Though feedback in the category concerns Lilliputian vessels, readers nevertheless gave these brands some of the best marks received in any World’s Best Awards voting. Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2023 The night my posse dropped by, the spread featured a Maine oyster sparked with pink peppercorns and dandelion pesto; a beignet with a pinch of crab, a stamp of lardo and a dab of romesco; and a Lilliputian deviled (quail) egg on an equally tiny nest of kadaifi. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 30 June 2023
Noun
This mini-accelerator is not merely a Lilliputian LHC. Rahul Rao, Popular Science, 2 Nov. 2023 So what could explain those Lilliputian apparitions? Emily Heil, Washington Post, 16 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Lilliputian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1726, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1726, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Lilliputian was in 1726

Dictionary Entries Near Lilliputian

Cite this Entry

“Lilliputian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Lilliputian. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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