little moppet
1
8.4
- noun
- Baby Talk
:
pequeñín
- That adorable little moppet is always making everyone laugh.
Examples
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That adorable little moppet you got up there, she's seen my face.
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And this little moppet on my skirts is Daisy-Mabel.
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I even threw little stones at your window until some teensy-tiny little moppet opened up, looked out, and said, "are you there to rape me?"
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I'm just a sucker for this little moppet's shenanigans, that's all.
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My neighbor's little moppet loves to play in the garden.
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The little moppet waved goodbye as her parents drove away.
Synonyms
39
7.7
A small child said in a friendly, loving way
15
7.9
A small, cute child that adults call to show love
7
7.8
A small doll or a name for a sweet child
3
9.5
A small child, often a little girl who is cute and loved
1
8.2
A small child or young goat that people talk about in a loving, informal way
1
9.9
A very small person, often a child
1
8.2
A small child who makes trouble in a playful way
1
9.9
A small child or person treated with love and care
1
7.4
Young children who are not yet adults
A very small child
How Cute
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is transparently composed from 'little' (small/affectionate) + 'moppet' (a small, endearing child), so a learner who knows both words can readily infer an affectionate term for a small child. Although 'moppet' is somewhat dated/less frequent, the adjective+noun composition and cross-linguistic parallels make the overall sense predictable.
Etymology
The phrase little moppet may come from older English where moppet meant a small doll or puppet. So calling someone a little moppet creates the image of a tiny, cute child like a doll and is used as a loving way to say 'child'.