little pitchers have big ears

proverb

Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.

Similar
little pitchers have long ears
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Meanings

proverb
  1. Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.

    A caution to U. S. parents, but a joy to radio merchandising, is the dread truth that little pitchers have big ears.

    1939 April 17, “Bedtime Bedlam”, in Time
    2 more examples

    Seeing me listening to something she was saying to Mamma, she turned round upon me with that odious proverb, "Little pitchers have long ears."

    1844, Charlotte M. Yonge, chapter 2, in Abbeychurch

    [N]o kid ever ran to his mother and said that his little sister just defecated in the tub. I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).

    2000, Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, →ISBN, page 185

    Synonyms: little pitchers have long ears

Synonyms & antonyms

proverbSmall children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.

Similar
little pitchers have long ears

Origin

An allusion to the ear-shaped handles common on pitchers used for serving liquids.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Danish små gryder har også ører
  • små gryder har også ørerproverb
Finnish pienilläkin padoilla on korvat
  • pienilläkin padoilla on korvatproverb
Spanish hay orejas chiquitas
  • hay orejas chiquitasproverb
Swedish små grytor har också öron
  • små grytor har också öronproverb
Welsh mae gan foch bach glustiau (mawr), mae clustiau gan foch bach (mawr)
  • mae gan foch bach glustiau (mawr)proverb
  • mae clustiau gan foch bach (mawr)proverb
Cite this entry
APA

little pitchers have big ears. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/little%20pitchers%20have%20big%20ears

MLA

“little pitchers have big ears.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/little%20pitchers%20have%20big%20ears. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “little pitchers have big ears,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/little%20pitchers%20have%20big%20ears.

Source: little pitchers have big ears on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.