litty

English

Etymology 1

little +‎ -y

Adjective

litty (comparative more litty, superlative most litty)

1. Little.
   • 1892, Robert Louis Stevenson, Lloyd Osbourne, “The Cargo of the ‘Flying Scud’”, in The Wrecker, London, Paris: Cassell & Company, […], →OCLC, page 236:

     “I think long time,” replied the Chinaman. “See plenty litty mat lice; too muchy plenty litty mat lice; sixty ton, litty mat lice. I think all-e-time: perhaps plenty opium plenty litty mat lice.”

   • 1895, George B. Myles, The Winning Hand; Or, The Imposter: A Comedy, in Four Acts, page 12:

     Missee Klitty got Jelly on litty string.

   • 1983, The Weft, 1658-1979: A Genealogical Record, page 376:

     Then I will send you some litty brix by him. He says he is not able to carry much but he would take a litty sack full if I would fix it. I will send you some sweet cakes and a few light cakes and a litty buter, and a few apples and a pair of socks, and your litty girls wants to send you a sweet potato but I dont no if I can get them in my sack.

   • 2014, Toni Morrison, Beloved, →ISBN, page 17:

     Those litty bitty potatoes browned on all sides, heavy on the pepper; snap beans seasoned with rind; yellow squash sprinkled with vinegar and sugar

Derived terms

• litty-bitty

Noun

litty

1. A little bit.
   • 1859, Jack Ariel, John Davis, Jack Ariel; or, Life on board an Indiaman:

     Keep Joss-house a litty on the larbourd-bow. Steady as you go.

   • 1983, The Weft, 1658-1979: A Genealogical Record, page 376:

     I will send you some sweet cakes and a few light cakes and a litty buter, and a few apples and a pair of socks, and your litty girls wants to send you a sweet potato but I dont no if I can get them in my sack.

   • 2003, Fanny Van de Grift Stevenson (edited by Roslyn Jolly), The Cruise of the Janet Nichol Among the South Sea Islands, →ISBN, page 28:

     He dealt warily with traders, whom he classified in three groups: "'He cheat a litty" — "He cheat plenty" — and "I think he cheat too much.'"

Etymology 2

lit +‎ -y

Adjective

litty (comparative more litty, superlative most litty)

1. (West Country, Dorset) Lively and nimble.
   • 1923, John Read, Cluster-o'-vive: stories and studies of old-world Wessex, page 130:

     ...and her pink vrock, and her pink zun-bonnet, and her pink bows all over her, and her pink parasol, and her pink this, and her pink that, skipped up beside her, so litty as a linnet.

   • 2014, Bernard Richards, Alastair Fowler, Brian Richards, English Verse 1830 - 1890, →ISBN, page 35:

     The zilver-weed upon the green, Out where my sons an' daughters played, Had never time to bloom between The litty steps obwoy an' maid.

   • 1962, William Barnes, Poems - Volume 1, page 529:

     Or when the wind, a-springen keen Vrom eastern slopes, did fling about The snow, or overlay the tree An' ground wi' hoar-vrost grey, Sis, sis, our litty steps did sound, A-trippen on the vrosty ground.

2. (slang) Excellent, extremely fun.

   Synonym: lit

Anagrams

• tilty