li'l

[lɪɫ]

/[lɪɫ]/ adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"li-l" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“li'l” is uncommon English (frequency #50,042 among 16,425 “L” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#50,042
frequency rank, English
16,425
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Pronunciation spelling of little.

Key facts for li'l
PropertyValue
Headwordli'l
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[lɪɫ]
Letters4
Frequency rank#50,042
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “li'l” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). li'l lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

li'l is uncommon English at frequency #50,042 among 16,425 “L” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed [lɪɫ]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for li'l in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Contracted from little, especially as pronounced with flapping, when the /t/ is barely audible. The correct English form is li'l, spelled L-I-'-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Pronunciation spelling of little.
  2. 2
    Generic intensifier.

Etymology

Contracted from little, especially as pronounced with flapping, when the /t/ is barely audible.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "li'l"?
"li'l" is spelled L-I-'-L. The IPA pronunciation is [lɪɫ].
What does "li'l" mean?
As an adjective, "li'l" means: Pronunciation spelling of little.
How do you pronounce "li'l"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "li'l" is [lɪɫ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "li'l"?
Contracted from little, especially as pronounced with flapping, when the /t/ is barely audible. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “li'l”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-I-'-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [lɪɫ] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list