adjective / noun
lilliputian
lil-ih-PYOO-shun/ˌlɪlɪˈpjuːʃn/
Of the tiny fictional inhabitants of Lilliput.
The Lilliputian soldiers seem tiny beside Gulliver in Swift's story.
Etymology
Literally “pertaining to Lilliput,” the word evokes Swift’s six-inch inhabitants, making their tiny scale a comparison for extreme smallness or pettiness. Swift left the place-name’s origin unexplained.
More examples
- Gulliver towers over the Lilliputians who surround him.
- Each Lilliputian stands only about six inches tall.
- The Lilliputian emperor orders his subjects to search Gulliver's pockets.
Forms
Lilliputian · Lilliputians