Scotland · adjective
wee
Small, little, short, or a small amount.
Uses your device’s built-in voice. Pronunciation is approximate because available voices and Scottish accents vary.
What wee means
Wee is one of the most recognisable Scottish words and usually means small or little. It can describe size, age, duration, quantity, or add a friendly softening tone.
How it is used
It appears in phrases such as a wee drink, a wee while, a wee bairn, or a wee problem. The word can be literal or conversational rather than strictly about size.
- Part of speech
- adjective
- Pronunciation
- /wiː/
- Register
- Everyday Scots and Scottish English.
- Variants
- No common variant listed
Examples
Each example is followed by its intended plain-English meaning.
Give me a wee minute.
Give me a short moment.
They live in a wee flat.
They live in a small flat.
What to watch for
A wee minute can mean a short time, but speakers may use it loosely rather than literally.
Related Scottish words
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