small-scale

adjective

Concerning a lower order of magnitude rather than a higher one.

“small-scale business operations”

Meanings

adjectivesmall-scale (comparative smaller-scale, superlative smallest-scale)

comparative smaller-scale · superlative smallest-scale · alternative small scale

  1. Concerning a lower order of magnitude rather than a higher one.

    small-scale aspects of fluid dynamics

    Synonyms: microlevel, micro · Antonyms: large-scale, macrolevel, macro

  2. Having a modest scope or extent.

    small-scale business operations

    Antonyms: large-scale

  3. Drawn or constructed at a small size (at low scale), without much detail.

    a small-scale inset orienting the viewer, implying "you are here"

    Antonyms: large-scale

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveConcerning a lower order of magnitude rather than a higher one.

adjectiveHaving a modest scope or extent.

Opposite

adjectiveDrawn or constructed at a small size (at low scale), without much detail.

Opposite

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivecreated or drawn on a small scale

adjectiverelatively moderate, limited, or small

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Translations

Bulgarian дребен, в малък мащаб
  • дребен (dreben)having a modest scope or extent
  • в малък мащаб (v malăk maštab)too small for much detail
Chinese Mandarin 小型
  • 小型 (xiǎoxíng)having a modest scope or extent
Dutch kleinschalig
  • kleinschalighaving a modest scope or extent
Finnish pienimuotoinen, vaatimaton
  • pienimuotoinenhaving a modest scope or extent
  • vaatimatonhaving a modest scope or extent
  • pienimuotoinentoo small for much detail
French à petite échelle
  • à petite échellehaving a modest scope or extent
German kleinangelegt, klein angelegt
  • kleinangelegthaving a modest scope or extent
  • klein angelegthaving a modest scope or extent
Japanese 小規模の, 小型の
  • 小規模の (shōkibo no)having a modest scope or extent
  • 小型の (kogata no)having a modest scope or extent
Polish na małą skalę, mały
  • na małą skalęhaving a modest scope or extent
  • małytoo small for much detail
  • drobnytoo small for much detail
Russian мелкомасшта́бный, маломасшта́бный
  • мелкомасшта́бный (melkomasštábnyj)having a modest scope or extent
  • маломасшта́бный (malomasštábnyj)having a modest scope or extent
Scottish Gaelic beag-sgèile, beag-sgèile
  • beag-sgèilehaving a modest scope or extent
  • beag-sgèiletoo small for much detail
Swedish småskalig
  • småskalighaving a modest scope or extent
Cite this entry
APA

small-scale. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/small-scale

MLA

“small-scale.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/small-scale. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “small-scale,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/small-scale.

Source: small-scale on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.