Smidges

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small or insignificant amount, often used to indicate a slight quantity or degree
2. a minimal portion or fragment that is hardly noticeable
3. an expression for just a tad or hint of something, commonly used in informal contexts

Etymology: "Smidges" is the plural of "smidge," a informal word that appeared in American English in the early 1900s as a variant of "smidgen." The plural form simply lets speakers say things like "a few smidges" for small amounts, so the noun's history is best traced through its parent word. "Smidgen" is the older and more established form, first recorded in American English around 1839 (the dictionary-recorded date is uncertain, so treat that as approximate). It is generally thought to be a dialect variant of "smidge" or a blend of words such as "smitch" and "smidgin," all of which carried the sense of a tiny amount. None of these have a clearly documented classical or Old English ancestor, so the origin is best described as uncertain rather than traced to a specific language. Because "smidge" and "smidgen" arose in informal speech, they were slow to appear in print and reference works, which is why their exact early history is hard to pin down.

Synonyms: slivers, bits, specks

Antonyms: large amounts, plenty