Lit

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈlɪt/
• Rhymes: -ɪt

From Middle English lit, lut, from Old English lȳt ("little, few"), from Proto-Germanic *lūtilaz ("little, small"), from Proto-Indo-European *leud- ("to cower, hunch over"). Cognate with Old Saxon lut ("little"), Middle High German lützen ("to make small or low, decrease"). More at little.

Full definition of lit

Adjective

1. (obsolete) Little.

Noun

1. (obsolete) Little.

Related terms

• lite

From Middle English lihte, from Old English līhtte, first and third person singular preterit of līhtan ("to light"). More at light.

Verb

1. lit

   (past of light)
2. (US, dialectal) To run, or light
• With that the kid lits off down the street, and, what do you know!

Adjective

1. illuminated
• He walked down the lit corridor.
2. (slang) intoxicated or under the influence of drugs; stoned
3. (slang) Sexually aroused (usually a female), especially visibly sexually aroused (e.g., labial swelling is present)

Derived terms

• half lit

From Middle English lit, from Old Norse litr ("colour, dye, complexion, face, countenance"), from Proto-Germanic *wlitiz, *wlitaz ("sight, face"), from Proto-Indo-European *wel- ("to see"). Cognate with Icelandic litur ("colour"), Old English wlite ("brightness, appearance, form, aspect, look, countenance, beauty, splendor, adornment"), Old English wlītan ("to gaze, look, observe").

Noun

1. (UK dialectal) Colour; blee; dye; stain.

Derived terms

• lithouse
• litmus

From Middle English litten, liten, from Old Norse lita ("to colour"), from litr ("colour"). See above.

Verb

1. (transitive) To colour; dye.

Short for literature.

Noun

1. Abbreviated form of literature.

Derived terms

• chick lit
• lit crit

Anagrams

• til, 'til