μικρός G3398
a little while (temporal/quantitative adverb); small in size or degree; little ones (substantivized: lowly/insignificant people)
2. small in size or degree — The basic adjectival sense of mikros denoting physical smallness, littleness, or low degree. Covers singular forms used attributively or predicatively to describe things or persons as small: μικρός (nominative), μικρόν (accusative), μικρά (feminine), μικροῦ (genitive), μικρῷ (dative). Includes Zacchaeus being small in stature (Luke 19:3), the 'little flock' (Luke 12:32), a small rudder (Jas 3:5), Acts 8:10 and 26:22 'from small to great,' the little power of Philadelphia (Rev 3:8), and Heb 8:11 'from small to great.' Hebrew consistently qāṭān, Arabic ṣaghīr. This sense also encompasses the comparative form μικρότερος ('smaller/least') used for the mustard seed (Matt 13:32; Mark 4:31) and 'the least in the kingdom' (Matt 11:11; Luke 7:28; 9:48), plus 'younger' in Mark 15:40 (James the Lesser), which is simply the 'lesser/smaller' sense applied to relative age or status. 13×
AR["أَصغَرُ","أَصْغَرُ","أَيُّهَا-الصَّغِيرُ","الأَصغَرُ","الأَصْغَرَ","الصَّغِيرِ","صَغيرٌ","صَغيرِهِمْ","صَغِيرٍ","قَصيرٌ","قَليلَةً","لِلصَّغِيرِ"]·ben["অল্প","ক্ষুদ্রতম","ছোট","ছোটকে","ছোটতর","সামান্য"]·DE["klein"]·EN["a-small","least","little","small","smaller","to-small","younger"]·FR["petit"]·heb["הַקָּטָן","לְקָטֹן","מְעַט","קְטַנָּם","קָטָן","קָטֹן","קָטֹן-מִכָּל"]·HI["के","छोटा","छोटे","छोटे-की","छोटेको","छोत","थोड़ी"]·ID["kecil","lebih-kecil","pendek","sedikit","terkecil","yang-kecil","yang-muda","yang-terkecil"]·IT["piccolo"]·jav["alit","langkung-alit","paling-alit","paling-cilik"]·KO["가장-작은-것이다","가장-작은-자가","더-작은","더-작은-자가","작은","작은-자-로부터","작은-자도","작은-자에게","작은-자에서부터"]·PT["a-pequeno","menor","pequena","pequeno"]·RU["мал","малого","малое","малому","малую","малый","меньше","меньшего","меньший"]·ES["a-pequeño","menor","más-pequeño","pequeño","poca"]·SW["kiungo-kidogo","kundi-dogo","kwa-wadogo","mdogo","mdogo-kuliko","mdogo-zaidi","mfupi","ndogo-zaidi","nguvu-ndogo","wadogo"]·TR["az","daha-küçük","en-küçük","küçük","küçükten","küçüğe","küçüğün","kısa"]·urd["تھوڑی","میں","چھوٹا","چھوٹے","چھوٹے-سے"]
Matt 11:11, Matt 13:32, Mark 4:31, Mark 15:40, Luke 7:28, Luke 9:48, Luke 12:32, Luke 19:3, Acts 8:10, Acts 26:22, Heb 8:11, Jas 3:5 (+1 more)
▼ 2 more senses below
Senses
1. a little while (temporal/quantitative adverb) — The neuter accusative μικρόν used adverbially to mean 'a little (while)' or 'a short time,' functioning as a temporal or quantitative modifier rather than a true adjective. Heavily concentrated in John's Gospel (John 7:33; 12:35; 13:33; 14:19; 16:16-19) where Jesus repeatedly says 'a little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me.' Also found in the Gethsemane narrative (Matt 26:39, 73; Mark 14:35, 70) meaning 'going forward a little' or 'after a little while.' Hebrew me'aṭ ('a little'), Arabic qalīlan, Hindi thoṛā, Korean jogeum/jamsi. The consistent multilingual signature distinguishes this temporal/adverbial usage from the purely descriptive adjective sense. 22×
AR["خَميرَةٌ","قَليلاً","قَليلًا","قَلِيل","قَلِيلًا","قَلِيلٍ","قَلِيلُ"]·ben["অল্প","অল্পক্ষণ","অল্পক্ষণ?","একটু","কিঞ্চিৎ","ছোট","সামান্য"]·DE["klein"]·EN["a-little","a-little-while","little"]·FR["petit"]·heb["מְעַט"]·HI["थोड़ा","थोड़ी","थोड़ी-देर","थोदि"]·ID["Sebentar-lagi","lagi","sebentar","sedikit"]·IT["piccolo"]·jav["Sakedhik","Sekedhap","sakedhap","sakedhik","sekedhap","sekedhap?","sekedhik"]·KO["작은","잠깐","잠시","조금"]·PT["Pouco","pequeno","pouco","um-pouco"]·RU["Немного","малая","малое","на-малое","немного","немного?"]·ES["Poco","pequeña","poca","poco","un-poco"]·SW["Kitambo-kidogo","chachu-kidogo","kidogo","kidogo-sana","kitambo-kidogo","muda-mfupi"]·TR["Biraz","az","biraz","biraz-","küçük","kısa"]·urd["تھوڑا","تھوڑی","تھوڑی-دیر","تھوڑے"]
Matt 26:39, Matt 26:73, Mark 14:35, Mark 14:70, John 7:33, John 12:35, John 13:33, John 14:19, John 16:16, John 16:16, John 16:17, John 16:17 (+10 more)
3. little ones (substantivized: lowly/insignificant people) — The substantivized plural of mikros referring to 'little ones' or 'small ones' as a class of people—the humble, insignificant, or vulnerable members of the community. Predominantly appears in the Synoptic Gospels (Matt 10:42; 18:6, 10, 14; Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2) in Jesus' warnings about causing 'one of these little ones' to stumble. Also heavily used in Revelation for the eschatological pairing 'small and great' (Rev 11:18; 13:16; 19:5, 18; 20:12). Hebrew qeṭannīm/haqqeṭannīm (the small ones), Arabic aṣ-ṣighār, Korean jageun jadeul ('small people'). This usage is theologically loaded, designating the marginalized and powerless who receive special divine protection. 11×
AR["الصِّغارَ","الصِّغارِ","الصِّغَارِ","صِغارٍ","صِغارِ"]·ben["ক্ষুদ্র","ক্ষুদ্রদের","ছোট","ছোটদের","নগণ্যদের"]·DE["klein"]·EN["little-ones","of-small","small"]·FR["petit"]·heb["הַקְּטַנִּים","קְטַנִּים"]·HI["छोटे","छोटों","छोटों-में-से","छोतोन"]·ID["kecil","kecil,","kecil-kecil"]·IT["piccolo"]·jav["alit","ingkang-alit","ingkang-alit-alit","tiyang-alit"]·KO["작은-자들","작은-자들과","작은-자들의","작은-자들이"]·PT["pequeninos","pequenos"]·RU["малые","малым","малых","малых,"]·ES["de-pequeños","pequeños","pequeños,"]·SW["wadogo","wadogo,"]·TR["küçükler","küçüklerden","küçüklere","küçükleri","küçüklerin"]·urd["چھوٹو","چھوٹوں","چھوٹوں-کا","چھوٹے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
μικρός and σμῑκρός, ά, όν, Doric dialect, Ionic dialect μικκός (which see): σμικρός is corroborated by metre in Refs 8th c.BC+, and might be restored in Refs 8th c.BC+; it is probably the only form in Refs 5th c.BC+ (μικρός Refs 5th c.BC+; most frequently in Refs 5th c.BC+; Attic dialect Inscrr. have σμικρός Refs:—small, little, __1 in Size, μ. ἔην δέμας Refs 8th c.BC+: as a Comedy texts…