Quick Definition
μικρός, ά, όν Adj little, small
Strong's Definition
apparently a primary word; small (in size, quantity, number or (figuratively) dignity)
KJV Usage: least, less, little, small
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
adjc. | -ά, -όν
59.15 · Quantity · Much, Little [Masses, Collectives, Extensions]
little, few, limited amount of pertaining to a particularly limited quantity
79.125 · Features of Objects · Large, Small
small, little a small size, relative to the norm for the class of objects in question
MAT 13:32 · MRK 4:31 · LUK 7:28 · LUK 19:3 · 2CO 11:1 · 2CO 11:16 · HEB 8:11 · JAS 3:5
78.9 · Degree · Much, Little [Positive-Negative Degree]
little, very little a very low point on a scale of extent In REV 3:8 it would seem that μικρός might very well be classified as indicating quantity (see 59.15), but it is probably better understood as indicating the extent of a state of being powerful, expressed in a number of languages in a negative form, for example, ‘you are not very powerful.’
67.106 · Time · Duration of Time without Reference to Points or Units of Time: Time, Spend Time, Always, Eternal, Old, Immediately, Young
a little while, for a little while, a short time, brief, briefly pertaining to a relatively brief extent of time
MAT 26:73 · MRK 14:70 · JHN 7:33 · JHN 13:33 · JHN 14:19 · JHN 16:16 · JHN 16:16 · JHN 16:17 · JHN 16:17 · JHN 16:18 · JHN 16:19 · JHN 16:19 · HEB 10:37
81.13 · Spacial Dimensions · Long, Short, Far
short pertaining to being short, in a horizontal or vertical dimension
67.116 · Time · Duration of Time without Reference to Points or Units of Time: Time, Spend Time, Always, Eternal, Old, Immediately, Young
young, younger pertaining to a living being who is relatively young, often the younger of two objects It is possible, however, that μικρός in MRK 15:40 denotes small size rather than being younger (see 81.13).
87.58 · Status · Low Status or Rank [including persons of low status]
low, unimportant pertaining to being of low or unimportant status (in contrast with μέγας[d] great; important; 87.22)
MAT 10:42 · MAT 11:11 · MAT 18:6 · MAT 18:10 · MAT 18:14 · MRK 9:42 · LUK 9:48 · LUK 17:2 · ACT 8:10 · ACT 26:22 · REV 11:18 · REV 13:16 · REV 19:5 · REV 19:18 · REV 20:12
67.107 · Time · Duration of Time without Reference to Points or Units of Time: Time, Spend Time, Always, Eternal, Old, Immediately, Young
Collocation: μικρὸν ὅσον ὅσον
very soon, in a very short while (an idiom, literally: little, how much, how much) a relatively short time, with emphasis upon the certainty of the brief period
1 The series of expressions indicating relative shortness of time may very well differ slightly, at least in connotative meaning, but on the basis of existing NT contexts it is not possible to determine significant denotative differences. The phrases in this series may be technically regarded as idioms, but functionally they are better classed as frozen phrases, which act essentially like morphological units.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
μικρός, -d, -ov, compar. μικρότερος, -epa, -epov, [fr. Hom. down], Sept. for JOP, 150, Ὁ}, small, little; used a. of size: Mt. xiii. 32; Mk. iv. 81; hence of stature, τῇ ἡλικίᾳ, Lk. xix. 3; of length, Jas. iii.5. Ὁ. of space: neut. προελθὼν ἱπροσελθ. T Tr WH mrg. in Mt., Tr WI mrg. in Mk. (see προσέρχομαι, a.) | μικρόν, having gone forward a little, Mt. xxvi. 39; Mk. xiv. 35, (cf. W. § 32,6; B. § 131, 11 sq.]. c. of age: less by birth, younger, Mk. xv. 40 [al. take this of stature]; οἱ μικροί, the little ones, young children, Mt. xviii. 6,10,14; Mk. ix. 425 ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου [ A. V. from the least to the greatest], Acts viii. 10; Heb. viii. 11, (Jer. vi. 13; Xxxviii. (xxxi.) 34); μικρός τε καὶ μέγας, [both small and great] i. e. all, Acts xxvi. 22; plur., Rev. xi. 18... xin. 16s) Kix. δ. 18». xx. Les d. of time, short, brief: neuter —nom., ἔτε [or ἔτι om.] μικρὸν (se. ἔσται) καί, (yet) a little while and ete. i. e. shortly (this shall come to pass), Jn. xiv. 19; xvi. 16 sq. 19, [(cf. Ex. xvii. 4)], ἔτι μικρὸν ὅσον ὅσον (see ὅσος, a.); without καί, Heb. x. 37 (Is. xxvi. 20); τὸ μικρόν [Tr ὙΥῊ οπι. τό], Jn. xvi. 18; — μικρόν ace. (of duration), Jn. xiii. 33 (Job xxxvi. 2); μικρὸν χρόνον, In. vii. 33; xii. 35; Rev. vi. 11; xx. 3; μετὰ μικρόν. after a little while, Mt. xxvi. 73; Mk. xiv. 70, (πρὸ μικροῦ, Sap. xv. 8). e. of quantity, i. 6. number or amount: μικρὰ ζύμη, 1 Co. v. 6; Gal. v. 9; of number, μικρὸν ποίμνιον, Lk. xii. 32; of quantity, μικρὰ δύναμις, Rev. iii. 8; neut. μικρόν (τι), α little, 2 Co. ΧΙ 1 1: f. of rank or influence: Mt. x. 42: Lk. ix. 48; xvii. 23 ὁ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ that is inferior to the other citizens of the heaven in knowledge of the gospel [R. V. ete.; cf. W. 244 (229); B. § 123, 13], Mt. vil. 28.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
μικρός mikros 46x
little, small in size quantity, etc. Mt. 13:32; Lk. 12:32; Rev. 3:8; small, little in age, young, not adult, Mk. 15:40; little, short in time, Jn. 7:33; μικρόν, i.e. χρόνον, a little while, a short time, Jn. 13:33; μετὰ μικρόν, after a little while, a little while afterwards, Mt. 26:73; little in number, Lk. 12:32; small, little in dignity, low, humble, Mt. 10:42; 11:11; μικρόν, as an adv., little, a little, Mt. 26:39
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
μικρός, -ά, -όν,
[in LXX chiefly for קָטֹן, מְעָט;]
small, little; of persons; lit., of stature: Mk 15:40 (MM, iii, xvi; on the view that age is meant, v. Deiss., BS, 144), Lk 19:3; οἱ μ., the little ones, Mt 18:6, 10, 14, Mk 9:42;
hence metaph., of rank or influence (cf. Dalman, Words, 113 f.): Mt 10:42, Lk 17:2, Ac 8:10 26:22, He 8:11(LXX), Re 11:18 13:16 19:5, 18 20:12; compar., -ότερος, Mt 11:11, Lk 7:28 9:48.
Of things; of size: Mt 13:32, Mk 4:31, Ja 3:5;
of quantity: Lk 12:32, I Co 5:6, Ga 5:9, Re 3:8;
of time: Jo 7:33 12:35, Re 6:11 20:3.
Neut., μικρόν, used adverbially; of distance: Mt 26:39, Mk 14:35;
of quantity: II Co 11:1, 16;
of time : Jo 13:33 14:19 16:16-19, He 10:37; μετὰ μ., Mt 26:73, Mk 14:70.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
μικρός. In P Leid ΝΕ ΙΝ (8.6. 103) (=I. p. 69) we hear of a Nexovtrns μικρός in a context which shows, according to the editor (p. 74), that the reference is to age rather than to stature: see further Deissmann 4S p. 144 f. Other exx. are not so clear. P Gen I. 284 (a.p. 136) ἀγ]οράσαι παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ Στοτοήτιος ἐπικαλουμένου Μικροῦ πυρόν, is not encouraging to the meaning 7zm2o07, though, after all, there is no reason why “‘ Stotoetis junior ” should not be the | father of a family. In any case the frequent occurrence of the formula makes it probable that it has a constant meaning: | see P Eleph 174 (B.C. 223-222) ΤΠρενέβθιος ᾿Ιστφήνιος kal Ψεντεὴς μικρὸς ἀπολέγονται τὴν γῆν KTA., P Tebt I. 63°° (B.C. 116-115) γεω(ργὸς) ἹΠετερμοῦθις μι(κρὸς) “Appevéws, and P Goodsp Cairo 3011: 38 (A.D. 191-2) μικρῷ ᾿Αφροδ(ισίῳ), vill. 8° Αφροδ(ισίῳ) καμηλί(είτῃ) μικ(ρῷ), ᾿Αφροδ. μικ. guarer
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
μικρός (mikros) — small. μικρός and σμῑκρός, ά, όν, Doric dialect, Ionic dialect μικκός (which see): σμικρός is corroborated by metre in [Refs 8th c.BC+], and might be restored in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; it is probably the only form in [Refs 5th c.BC+] (μικρός [Refs 5th c.BC+]; most frequently in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Attic dialect Inscrr. have σμικρός [Refs]:—small, little,
1. in Size, μ. ἔην δέμας [Refs 8th c.BC+]: as a Comedy texts exaggeration, δικαστηρίδιον μ. πάνυ [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with infinitive, μικροὶ δ᾽ ὁρᾶν [Refs]: as a term of reproach, Κλειγενὴς ὁ μικρός [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ ἐν μικρῷ μεγάλοι short but stoutly built, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
2. in Quantity, σμικρὸν ἐπὶ σμικρῷ καταθεῖναι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μ. ὄψον, ἀργυρίδιον, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. in Amount or Importance, petty, trivial, slight, σμ. πρόφασις [Refs 6th c.BC+]; ἔπος, ἔγκλημα, ῥοπή, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐκ σμικροῦ λόγου on some slight pretext, [Refs]; ἐν σμικρῷ λόγῳ παρῆκεν as of small account,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐδὲ μικρόν, ={οὐδὲ γρῦ}, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of persons, of small account, opposed to μέγας, σμ. ἐν σμικροῖς, μέγας ἐν μεγάλοις [Refs 5th c.BC+]; βίος ὁ μ., ={μέτριος}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τίνος σμικροτάτου μεταβαλόντος, σμικρότατος τὴν δύναμιν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the mind, οὐ σμικρὸν φρονεῖ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of style, mean, [Φίλιστος] μικρὸς ταῖς ἐκφράσεσιν [Refs 1st c.BC+]; of festivals, of lesser importance, Ἁλίεια τὰ μεγάλα καὶ τὰ μ. [Refs]
II. of Time, short, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν μικρῷ (i.e. χρόνῳ) shortly, [LXX+5th c.BC+]
II.2. of Age, young, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
III. Adverbial usages,
III.1. regular adverb σμικρῶς, but little, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μικρῶς by a little, probably in [Refs 3rd c.BC+]: superlative σμικρότατα [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.2. σμικροῦ or μικροῦ within a little, almost, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; in full, μικροῦ δεῖν, see at {δεῖ} 11, δέω (B) 1; μικροῦ τινος ἀπελείφθη τοῦ μή.. [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; but μικροῦ πρίασθαι for a little, cheap, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.3. σμικρῷ by a little, with comparative, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also σμικρῷ πρόσθεν a little before, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
III.4. μικρόν a little, σμικρὸν ὑπολείπεσθαι, σμ. τι παρακλίνειν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of Time, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.5. with Preps.,
III.5. a ἐπὶ σμικρόν but a little, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.5. b κατὰ μικρόν into small pieces, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also, little by little, κατὰ μικρὸν ἀεί [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to συλλήβδην, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; καὶ κατὰ σμ. or μ. ever so little, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.5. c παρὰ μικρόν within a little, παρὰ μ. ἐλθεῖν with infinitive, to be within an ace of doing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but τὸ παρὰ μ. σῴζεσθαι to be only just saved, [Refs 6th c.AD+]; gradual, imperceptible change, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; οὐδὲ παρὰ μ. ἦν κρεῖττον with infinitive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but also παρὰ μ. ποιεῖσθαι, ἡγεῖσθαι, to think little of.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.5. d μετὰ μικρόν a little after, [NT]
IV. besides regular comparative and superlative μικρότερος, -ότατος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; see at {μείων. [ῑ} by nature; ῐ only in late Poetry, epigram cited in [Refs 1st c.AD+] (Perh. cf. Latin mīca, mīcidus, OHG. smāhi, ONorse smár 'little'.)