least
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: leasts
Sense 1
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little. — Chiefly used with abstract nouns: less than all others in extent or size; littlest, smallest.
Adjective
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little. — Chiefly used with abstract nouns: less than all others in extent or size; littlest, smallest. — Of two or more animals or plants with the same name: the smaller or smallest.
Adjective
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little. — Smallest in amount or extent.
Determiner
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 4
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little. — Followed by a plural noun: the smallest number of; the fewest.
Determiner
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “least” mean?
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little. — Chiefly used with abstract nouns: less than all others in extent or size; littlest, smallest.
Is “least” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.