LESSER

lesser

(adjective) smaller in size or amount or value; “the lesser powers of Europe”; “the lesser anteater”

lesser

(adjective) of less size or importance; “the lesser anteater”; “the lesser of two evils”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Adjective

lesser

comparative form of little

Of two (or, rarely, more than two) things: the smaller in size (littler), in value, in importance etc.

Antonym: greater

Noun

lesser (plural lessers)

a thing that is of smaller size, value, importance etc.

Anagrams

• Elsers, Eslers, resels

Proper noun

Lesser (plural Lessers)

A surname.

Statistics

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Lesser is the 8885^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 3686 individuals. Lesser is most common among White (93.27%) individuals.

Anagrams

• Elsers, Eslers, resels

Source: Wiktionary

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Less"er, a. Etym: [This word is formed by adding anew the compar. suffix -er (in which r is from an original s) to less. See Less, a.]

Definition: Less; smaller; inferior. God made . . . the lesser light to rule the night. Gen. i. 15.

Note: Lesser is used for less, now the compar. of little, in certain special instances in which its employment has become established by custom; as, Lesser Asia (i. e., Asia Minor), the lesser light, and some others; also in poetry, for the sake of the meter, and in prose where its use renders the passage more euphonious. The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace. Shak. The larger here, and there the lesser lambs. Pope. By the same reason may a man, in the state of nature, punish the lesser breaches of the law. Locke.

Less"er, adv.

Definition: Less. [Obs.] Shak.

LESS

-less. Etym: [AS. leás loose, false; akin to OS. l loose, false, D. los loose, loos false, sly, G. los loose, Icel. lauss loose, vacant, Goth. laus empty, vain, and also to E. loose, lose. sq. root127. See Lose, and cf. Loose, Leasing.]

Definition: A privative adjective suffix, denoting without, destitute of, not having; as witless, childless, fatherless.

Less (lês), conj.

Definition: Unless. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Less, a. Etym: [OE. lesse, AS. læssa; akin to OFries. lessa; a compar. from a lost positive form. Cf. Lesser, Lest, Least. Less has the sense of the comparative degree of little.]

Definition: Smaller; not so large or great; not so much; shorter; inferior; as, a less quantity or number; a horse of less size or value; in less time than before.

Note: The substantive which less qualifies is often omitted; as, the purse contained less (money) than ten dollars. See Less, n. Thus in less [time] than a hundred years from the coming of Augustine, all England became Christian. E. A. Freeman.

Less, adv. Etym: [AS. l. See Less, adj., and cf. Lest.]

Definition: Not so much; in a smaller or lower degree; as, less bright or loud; less beautiful.

Less, n.

1. A smaller portion or quantity. The children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. Ex. xvi. 17.

2. The inferior, younger, or smaller. The less is blessed of the better. Heb. vii. 7.

Less, v. t.

Definition: To make less; to lessen. [Obs.] Gower.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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