Lilliputian
Lilliputian means extremely small, or petty and narrow in outlook; it comes from the story of the tiny people of Lilliput in Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. The word can describe physical size or make a pointed criticism of concerns that seem too small to matter.
Where Lilliputian comes from
The tiny people of Lilliput
The Lilliputians appear in Jonathan Swift’s account of Gulliver’s travels. Their small bodies make ordinary objects and actions look startlingly different.
In Gulliver’s Travels, Gulliver wakes after a shipwreck to find himself tied to the ground. Tiny people have secured his body with many small cords.
In Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
Small in size or outlook
Today, Lilliputian can mean miniature, but it can also suggest petty disputes or limited thinking. That sharper meaning fits Swift’s picture of people whose grand claims hide small concerns.
In Gulliver’s Travels, a dispute over which end of an egg to break becomes a bitter political and religious conflict. The seriousness of the quarrel makes its small cause look absurd.
In Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
How to use Lilliputian
- Use Lilliputian for something strikingly small.
- Make clear whether you mean tiny size or petty concerns.
- Avoid applying it to a person unless you intend criticism.
Is Lilliputian an insult?
Lilliputian can be an insult, but it need not be. Applied to an object, it may simply mean very small. Applied to someone’s outlook, ambitions, or arguments, it usually suggests pettiness or narrow thinking, echoing the political satire in Gulliver’s Travels.
Does Lilliputian need a capital letter?
Lilliputian is commonly capitalized because it comes from the place name Lilliput. Lowercase forms also occur when it means simply tiny or petty. For a school essay or book-club note, the capitalized form is a clear choice, especially when discussing Gulliver’s Travels.
Related terms
200,000+ classics to read and hear, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
Try 3 months free
