Meaning & use
itsy
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Meaning
adjectivenot comparableinformalchild language
Very small; tiny. Used mainly in the phrase 'itsy-bitsy'.
Grammar: Used before a noun, often in the fixed phrase 'itsy-bitsy'.
Patterns
- itsy-bitsy something
She wore an itsy-bitsy yellow bikini to the beach.
The itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
They live in an itsy-bitsy apartment in the city.
Common combinations
- itsy-bitsy
- The itsy-bitsy kitten fit in the palm of my hand.
- itsy-bitsy spider
- The children sang 'The Itsy-Bitsy Spider' in class.
- itsy-bitsy piece
- He gave me an itsy-bitsy piece of cake.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tiny
- More neutral and common; 'itsy' is informal and usually part of 'itsy-bitsy'.
- teeny
- Also informal and often used in 'teeny-weeny'; similar in tone to 'itsy'.
- miniature
- More formal and often describes models or objects, not people.
Opposites
Word family
- itsy-bitsy adjective
- Very small; tiny.
Commonly confused: itsy or itsy-bitsy?
itsy vs itsy-bitsy
The full phrase is 'itsy-bitsy'; 'itsy' alone is rare and sounds incomplete.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'itsy' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Itsy' is an adjective meaning very small, and it is almost always used in the phrase 'itsy-bitsy' before a noun. Option A contradicts the meaning; option C uses it as a verb; option D uses it as a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “itsy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.