little woman: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium-LowInformal, Literary, Dated, Potentially Patronizing
Quick answer
What does “little woman” mean?
A person's wife.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person's wife; an affectionate or sometimes condescending term for a female partner.
A literary and cultural reference to the protagonists of Louisa May Alcott's novel 'Little Women' (1868), representing traditional values of domesticity, family, and moral integrity for young women.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term for 'wife' is slightly more archaic in modern British English. The novel 'Little Women' is equally canonical in both cultures.
Connotations
In both: The 'wife' sense carries a potentially old-fashioned or chauvinistic connotation. The literary sense carries positive connotations of family, virtue, and coming-of-age.
Frequency
Very infrequent in contemporary spoken language for 'wife'. The literary title is a high-frequency cultural reference.
Grammar
How to Use “little woman” in a Sentence
[Possessive determiner] + little womanThe + Little + Women (title)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “little woman” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- He's got that little-woman-at-home mentality.
- A little-woman style of dress.
American English
- He has that little-woman-at-home mentality.
- A little-woman style of dressing.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in literary criticism, women's studies, and cultural history discussions of Alcott's novel.
Everyday
Rare; if used for 'wife', it is typically by older generations or ironically among friends.
Technical
Not applicable.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “little woman”
- Using it sincerely in modern contexts to refer to one's wife, which may cause offense. Confusing the idiomatic phrase with the literal meaning of 'a woman who is small in stature'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be, as it is often perceived as diminishing and patronizing, suggesting a wife is childlike or subordinate. It is best avoided in sincere modern use.
It's a classic American novel by Louisa May Alcott about the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—growing up during the American Civil War.
Yes, but this is rare and context-dependent. It would typically be phrased as 'a little woman' (with an indefinite article) rather than the fixed phrase 'my/her little woman'.
The usage is very similar. Both consider the 'wife' sense dated. The novel is equally significant in both cultures, though it is an American work.
A person's wife.
Little woman is usually informal, literary, dated, potentially patronizing in register.
Little woman: in British English it is pronounced /ˌlɪt.l̩ ˈwʊm.ən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌlɪt.l̩ ˈwʊm.ən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No specific idiom, but the phrase itself is idiomatic in the 'wife' sense]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a classic 19th-century husband saying, "I must get home to my little woman," while she is actually running the entire household.
Conceptual Metaphor
WIFE IS A SMALL / CHILD-LIKE PERSON (in the dated, potentially patronizing sense).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common contemporary use of the phrase 'Little Women'?