small letter
1
1.9
- noun
- /smɔl ˈlɛtər/
:
letra minúscula
- Keep capital letters for the letter names of notes and small letters for solfège.
- write in small letters
Examples
-
The small letters are usually a solid color.
Academic text (1993) -
In the instructions, it says to use a small letter 'a' when filling out the form.
-
"Use a small letter 'l' for 'la', not a capital letter."
Academic text (1996) -
Next to it, in small letters:
Fiction book (2002) -
Small letters appear in the bottom of the TV: DRINK MILK.
Fiction book (1990) -
The small letter "m" indicates the appearance of a word in a marginal note.
Fiction book (1996) -
There was something in small letters specifying whatever the bar graph thingy was supposed to show.
Fiction book (2000) -
Joop Heman had printed his name in yellow paint, in small letters at the lower-right-hand corner.
Fiction book (1998) -
The teacher emphasized that we should always start our sentences with a capital letter and use small letters after that.
-
When typing the title, please ensure that all proper nouns are capitalized and the rest are in small letters.
Synonyms
9
1.9
The small letters of the alphabet, not capital letters
1
1.0
A small letter of the alphabet that is not a capital
A small letter used instead of a capital letter
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a lowercase letter' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'small' (not large, here signaling the non-capital form) with 'letter' (an alphabetic character). Although 'lowercase' is the more idiomatic English term, the adjective-noun composition is clear and cross-linguistically supported, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the intended sense.
Etymology
Small letter comes from old printing shops where printers kept the letters that were not capital letters in the lower half of a wooden box. Because those letters were kept below the capitals, they were called small, so small letter today means a 'lowercase' or 'not capitalized' letter.