itty bitty
In Appalachian and Southern talk, "itty bitty" means very small or tiny. It’s a playful, childlike way of describing size or amount, often used with affection or humor.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
'Itty bitty' might be paired with 'teeny tiny' or 'teenincecy', depending on how little it is. Pronunciation
[IT-ee BIT-ee]
Meaning & Usage
- Very small / tiny (adjective)
Mae:
Want some more cobbler?
Want some more cobbler?
Earl:
Just an itty bitty spoonful.
Just an itty bitty spoonful.other spellings: teeny tiny, wee little, smidgen, tad, and tee-nine-cy
★ "Itty bitty" is often used in playful exaggeration - folks may call something "itty bitty" even when it isn’t that small, just to sound cute or humorous. ★
Origin
"Itty bitty" is a reduplication of "itty," a baby-talk form of "little." It dates back to at least the late 1800s in American English. In Appalachia and the South, it’s often said with warmth, especially around food, children, or small critters.
Notes
Still common today in Appalachian and Southern speech, and widely understood across the U.S. It often carries affection, like talking about "an itty bitty baby" or "an itty bitty puppy."
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it light and bouncy: "itty bitty." The rhythm makes it sound almost like a nursery rhyme - which is part of why it stuck in everyday speech.