מְעַט101 H4592
A little, few, small amount; almost, nearly; soon, in a moment; gradually, little by little
A substantive expressing smallness in quantity, number, time, or degree. In its most basic use it means 'a little' of something — a little water (Gen 18:4), a little food (Gen 43:2). When modifying people, it means 'few' (Deut 7:7: 'you were the fewest of all peoples'). In the idiomatic construction ki-m'at it becomes the adverb 'almost' or 'nearly,' while temporal uses yield 'soon' or 'in a moment.' The word's flexibility allows it to serve as adjective, substantive, or adverb, and its rhetorical force in the construction ha-m'at ('is it too little?') makes it a tool of prophetic challenge.
2. few in number — When applied to people or countable items: 'few in number.' Deut 7:7 declares Israel was 'the fewest of all peoples'; Gen 47:9 uses it of Jacob's 'few and evil' years. Spanish número/pequeño and French peu confirm the shift from mass quantity to discrete count. Lev 25:52 and Num 26:54 use it in legal formulae apportioning inheritance according to whether a tribe has many or few members. 25×
AR["قَليلًا","قَليلٌ","قَليلَة","قَليلَةً","قَلِيلًا","قَلِيلٌ","قَلِيلٍ","قَلِيلَ","قَلِيلَةً","قَلِيلُونَ","قَلِيلِينَ","مِعَط","نَزرًا","وَ-لِ-الْقَلِيلِ","وَلِلْقَلِيلِ"]·ben["অল্প","এবং-অল্পের-প্রতি","এবং-যে-কম","কম","কিছু","সংখ্যায়"]·DE["in-Zahl","und-zu-der-wenige","wenig","wenige"]·EN["and-to-the-few","few","in-number","too-few","very-few"]·FR["[כמעט]","[למעט]","[מעט]","comme-peu","dans-nombre","de-peu","et-à-le-peu","peu"]·heb["ו-ל-ה-ולמעט","כ-מעט","ל-מעט","מעט","מעטים"]·HI["और-छोटे-को","और-थोड़े-को","थोड़ी","थोड़े","थोड़े-से","थोधि","बहुत-कम"]·ID["dan-kepada-sedikit","dan-kepada-yang-sedikit","sangat-sedikit","sedikit","terlalu-sedikit"]·IT["e-a-il-pochi","in-numero","pochi","poco"]·jav["lan-dhateng-ingkang-sekedhik","lan-kagem-ingkang-sakedhik","mung-sekedhik","sakedhik","sanget","sekedhik"]·KO["그리고-적은-에게","그리고-적은-자에게","몇","사람들로","적게","적고","적다","적었다","적은","적은-것같이","적은-수가","적은-수를"]·PT["as-poucas","e-ao-pequeno","e-para-o-menor","muito-poucos","número","poucas","pouco","poucos"]·RU["и-малочисленному","и-малочисленным","как-немногие","мало","мало;","малый","малым","немногие","немногими","немногими.","немного"]·ES["casi-nada","número","pequeño","pocas","poco","pocos","y-al-pequeño"]·SW["chache","kidogo","kidogo-sana","machache","na-kwa-wachache","ni-kidogo","wachache","watakuwa-wachache"]·TR["az","ve-az-olana","ve-için-az-olan"]·urd["اور-چھوٹے-کو","اور-کو-چھوٹے","بہت-کم","تھوڑا","تھوڑی","تھوڑی-سی","تھوڑے","لوگوں-میں","کم"]
Gen 47:9, Lev 25:52, Num 26:54, Num 26:56, Num 33:54, Num 35:8, Deut 26:5, Deut 28:62, Josh 7:3, 1 Sam 14:6, 1 Sam 17:28, 1 Chr 16:19 (+13 more)
▼ 6 more senses below
Senses
1. a little, small quantity — The basic quantitative sense: 'a little' of something, a small amount. Gen 18:4 ('let a little water be brought') and Gen 24:17 ('give me a little water to drink') are paradigmatic. Spanish poco, French peu, and German wenig converge on this core meaning. The word functions as a substantive governing a partitive construction, indicating a small portion of a larger whole. 47×
AR["القَليلُ","تَحْتَ","قَليلًا","قَليلٌ","قَليلٍ","قَلِيلاً","قَلِيلًا","قَلِيلٌ","قَلِيلٍ","قَلِيلَة","مِعَط"]·ben["অল্প","অল্প-","একটু","কিছু","কিছুক্ষণ-জন্য","সামান্য"]·DE["ein-wenig","wenig"]·EN["a-little","a-very-little","is-the-little","little"]·FR["[מעט]","de-peu","petit","peu"]·heb["מעט"]·HI["कुछ","थोड़ा","थोड़ी","थोड़ी-देर-में","समय"]·ID["Sedikit","sebentar","sedikit"]·IT["poco"]·jav["sakedhap","sakedhik","sedhela","sekedhik"]·KO["적게","적었다","적은-것이","적음-이","조금"]·PT["Um-pouco-de","pouca","pouco","um-pouco","um-pouco-de","é-o-pouco"]·RU["Немного","малая.","мало","малое","немного"]·ES["Un-poco-de","muy-poco","poco","un-poco","un-poco,","un-poco-de"]·SW["kidogo"]·TR["az","biraz","biraz-","daha"]·urd["تھوڑا","تھوڑی","تھوڑے","دیر","کم"]
3. is it too little? — The rhetorical interrogative construction ha-m'at (הַמְעַט), meaning 'is it too little?' or 'is it a small thing?' Used in prophetic challenges and rebukes: Num 16:9 ('is it too little for you that God has separated you?'), Gen 30:15, Josh 22:17. French est-cela aussi petit and German ist es auch klein capture the indignant rhetorical force. The construction presupposes that the addressee should consider the matter significant, not trivial. 9×
AR["أَ-قَلِيلٌ","أَقَلِيلٌ","أَقَلِيلٌ-","هَلْ-قَلِيلٌ"]·ben["-কম","-কম-কি","কি-অল্প","কি-কম","কি-সামান্য","সামান্য-","সামান্যই-কি"]·DE["Is-auch-klein","der-wenig","ist-es-auch-klein","ist-es-zu-wenig","wenig","wenige"]·EN["?-too-small","Is-too-little","few","is-it-little","is-it-small","is-it-too-little","was-it-little"]·FR["Est-aussi-petit","est-cela-aussi-petit","est-cela-petit","le-peu","peu"]·heb["ה-מעט"]·HI["क्या-कम-था","क्या-कम-है","क्या-छोटा-है","क्या-छोटी-है","क्या-छोटी-है-","क्या-थोड़ी","क्या-थोड़े","है-क्या-थोड़ा"]·ID["Apakah-sedikit","Apakah-terlalu-sedikit","Apakah-terlalu-sedikit-","apakah sedikit","apakah-sedikit","apakah-terlalu-kecil","apakah-terlalu-sedikit"]·IT["Is-anche-poco","e-esso-anche-piccolo","il-poco","pochi","poco","è-esso-poco"]·jav["Mboten-cekap","Menapa-alit","Punapa-sakedhik","menapa-sakedhik","punapa-sakedhik","punapa-sekedhik"]·KO["(질문)적으냐","작은-것이냐","작은-일이냐","적었느냐","적은-것이냐","적은-것이냐-","적은가","적은지"]·PT["(interrogativo)-pouco","Acaso-pouca","Pouca-para","Pouco-coisa","Pouco-para-vós","o-poucos","É-pouco","é-pouco"]·RU["Мало-","мало","мало-ли","малочисленный-ли","разве-мало"]·ES["Es-poca-cosa","acaso-poco","¿Es-poco","¿Pocas","¿Poco","¿pocos"]·SW["Je-ni-kidogo","je-haitoshi-","je-ni-kidogo","je-wachache"]·TR["Az-mı","az-mi","az-mı","az-mı-","küçük-mü","mı-az","yemek-için"]·urd["تھوڑا","تھوڑے-ہیں","کیا-تھوڑا","کیا-تھوڑی-ہیں","کیا-کم-تھا","کیا-کم-ہے","کیا-کم-ہے-"]
4. almost, nearly, scarcely — The prepositional compound ki-m'at (כִּמְעַט), meaning 'almost, nearly, scarcely, barely.' Ps 73:2 ('my feet had almost stumbled'), Ps 94:17 ('my soul had almost dwelt in silence'), and Gen 26:10 ('one of the people might easily have lain with your wife'). Spanish casi/apenas, French presque/à peine, and German beinahe all confirm the approximative-adverbial function. The construction 'like a little' grammaticalizes into a near-miss marker. 7×
AR["قَلِيلَةً","كادَ","كادَتْ","كَادُوا","كِ-مْعَط","كِدْتُ","لَكَانَتْ-سَرِيعًا"]·ben["অল্পেই","কিছুক্ষণ-পরে","প্রায়","সামান্য"]·DE["beinahe","wenig","wie-wenig"]·EN["almost","like-little","scarcely","soon"]·FR["comme-peu","presque","À-peine"]·heb["כ-מעט","כמעט"]·HI["जल्दी","थोड़ा-ही","थोड़े-से","लगभग"]·ID["Baru-saja","Hampir-hampir","hampir","hampir-","hampir-saja","sedikit"]·IT["almost","come-poco","poco"]·jav["Mèh-mèhan","Sawetawis","meh","meh-kémawon","meh-mawon","sakedhik"]·KO["거의","조금","조금이라도","하마터면"]·PT["Mal","Por-pouco","Quase","como-pouco","em-breve","quase"]·RU["Едва","Почти","едва","едва-не","почти"]·ES["Apenas","Casi","casi","por-poco"]·SW["karibu","kidogo","labda","mara-tu"]·TR["az","az-daha","az-sonra","neredeyse"]·urd["تقریباً","تھوڑا-ہی","تھوڑے-سے","قریب","قریب-تھا-کہ","قریب-قریب"]
5. soon, in a moment — A temporal sense: 'soon, in a moment, in a little while.' Ps 81:14 ('I would soon subdue their enemies') and Ps 2:12 ('for his wrath is quickly kindled') show the shift from spatial smallness to temporal brevity. Spanish en poco, French comme peu, and German in ein wenig support the temporal reading. Ezra 9:8 uses it of the 'brief moment' of God's grace, and Job 32:22 warns that Elihu's Maker would 'soon' take him away. 6×
AR["بِ-قَليلٍ","سَرِيعًا","قَليلاً","قَلِيلًا-","كَ-قَلِيل-"]·ben["অল্পক্ষণেই","কিছুক্ষণ-","কিছুটা","ক্ষণিকে","ক্ষণিকের-","শীঘ্রই"]·DE["in-ein-wenig","wenig","wie-wenig"]·EN["for-a-little","in-a-little-while","in-a-moment","moment","shortly","soon"]·FR["[כמעט]","comme-peu"]·heb["כ-מעט","כמעט"]·HI["अच्छी","कुछ-","कुछ-क्षण-के-लिए","जल्दी-ही","थोड़ा-सा","शीघ्र-ही"]·ID["Segera","sebentar-","sebentar-lagi","sedikit","segera","untuk-sesaat"]·IT["come-poco","poco"]·jav["kangge-sakedhap-","sakedhik","sekedhik","sekedhik-","sekedik","Énggal"]·KO["금방","순식간에","잘긄-","조금","짧은-"]·PT["Em-pouco","como-um-breve-","em-breve","logo","um-pouco-"]·RU["вмиг","вскоре","на-малое-","на-миг","немного"]·ES["En-poco","como-un-momento","en-poco","un-poco"]·SW["Upesi","huwaka","kidogo","kwa-kitambo-kidogo","kwa-muda-mfupi-","kwa-upesi"]·TR["az-bir-","az-sonra","biraz","biraz-çabuk","kisa-","kısa-sürede"]·urd["تھوڑا-سا","تھوڑی","تھوڑی-دیر-میں","تھوڑے","جلدی سے"]
6. small, of little worth — An evaluative sense indicating smallness in worth, status, or significance. Deut 7:7 overlaps with sense 2 but emphasizes Israel's insignificance rather than mere headcount. Prov 10:20 ('the heart of the wicked is of little worth') and Ezek 11:16 ('I have been a small sanctuary for them') use the word to evaluate quality or standing. Dan 11:34 speaks of help that is 'small' — inadequate or trivial. French peu and German wenig carry both quantitative and evaluative overtones. 5×
AR["الْأَقَلُّ","قَلِيلاً","قَلِيلًا","قَلِيلَةً","كَالقَلِيلِ"]·ben["অল্প","অল্পের-মধ্যে","কোনো-মূল্যের-নয়","ক্ষুদ্রতম-যে","সামান্য"]·DE["der-fewest","wenig"]·EN["as-little","is-of-little-worth","little","the-fewest"]·FR["comme-peu","le-fewest","peu"]·heb["ה-מעט","כ-מעט","מעט"]·HI["कम-से-कम","छोटी","थोड़ा","थोड़ा-है","में-थोड़े"]·ID["dalam-waktu-singkat","sedikit","sedikit-nilainya","yang-paling-sedikit"]·IT["come-poco","il-fewest","poco"]·jav["ingkang-paling-sekedhik","kados-sakedhik","sakedhik","sekedhik","sethithik"]·KO["그-적은","작다","작은","조금-"]·PT["como-pouco","o-menor","pequena","pequeno"]·RU["-наименьшие","как-мало","малая","малым","чуть-"]·ES["como-poco","pequeña","pequeño","sois-el-más-pequeño"]·SW["kidogo","kwa-muda-mfupi","una-thamani-ndogo","wachache"]·TR["az","az-değerdedir","en-az","küçük","onlara"]·urd["-تھوڑے","تھوڑا","تھوڑا-سا","تھوڑی","تھوڑے-"]
7. gradually, little by little — The distributive idiom m'at m'at (מְעַט מְעַט), meaning 'little by little, gradually.' Exod 23:30 ('little by little I will drive them out') and Deut 28:38 ('you shall gather little') demonstrate the iterative, incremental sense. Spanish poco a poco and French petit à petit are exact structural parallels. This reduplicative pattern — common across Semitic languages — converts the simple quantifier into an aspectual adverb of gradual progression. 2×
AR["قَليلاً","وَقَلِيلًا"]·ben["অল্প-অল্প","এবং-অল্প"]·DE["klein-durch","und-klein"]·EN["and-little","little-by"]·FR["et-petit","petit-par"]·heb["ו-מעט","מעט"]·HI["और-थोड़ा","थोड़ा-"]·ID["Sedikit","dan-sedikit"]·IT["e-piccolo","poco-da"]·jav["Sakedhik","lan-sakedhik"]·KO["그리고-적게","조금씩"]·PT["Pouco","e-pouco"]·RU["Понемногу","а-мало"]·ES["Poco","y-poco"]·SW["kidogo","na-kidogo"]·TR["az","ve-az"]·urd["اور-تھوڑا","تھوڑا-"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
מְעַט101 subst. a little, fewness, a few;—מ׳ abs. and cstr., מְעָ֑ט Is 10:7 +, pl. מְעַטִּים †ψ 109:8 Ec 5:1;— 1. a. Gn 30:30 מעט אשׁר היה לך לְפָנַי the little that thou hadst, 47:9 מעט ורעים היו ימי שׁני חיי few and evil, Lv 25:52 Nu 26:54 (cf. 33:54) וְלַמְעַט תמעיט נחלתו and to the small (few) thou shalt make small his inheritance, v 56; 35:8 וּמֵאֵת הַֽמְעַט תמעיטו, Dt 7:7 וכי אתם הַֽמְעַט…