Lexical Definition

‎קָטָן‎ qâṭân (kaw-tawn') small ^H:A
or קָטֹן qâṭôn (kaw-tone'); from ‎קוּט‎

least, less(-er), little (one), small(-est, one, quantity, thing), young(-er, -est).

• abbreviated, i.e. diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or figuratively (in age or importance)

1) young, small, insignificant, unimportant
1a) small
1b) insignificant
1c) young
1d) unimportant

See Greek: βραχύς · ἐλάσσων · ἐλαφρός · μικρός · μικρός · μικρός · μικρός · νέος · πτωχός

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎קָטָן‎ adjective small, young, unimportant; — absolute ‎׳‎‎ק‎ Gen 9:24 +; suffix ‎קְטַנָּם‎ (Kö^ii.l,74) Jer 6:13 +; feminine singular ‎קְטַנָּה‎ Gen 29:16 +; masculine plural ‎קְטַנִּים‎ 2Kgs 18:24 +; construct ‎קְטַנֵּי‎ 1Sam 9:21 (see Dr; We conjectures ‎נִּי‎-, old construct, cf, HPS), Prov 30:24 feminine plural ‎קְטַנּוֺת‎ Ezek 16:61 +; —

1. small; especially
a. of children, youth = young, Gen 44:20 (J) 2Sam 9:12; 1Kgs 11:17; 2Kgs 2:23; 2Kgs 5:2, of sister Song 8:8 = younger, of two children (often opposed to ‎גדול‎), Gen 9:24; Gen 27:15; Gen 27:42 (all J), Gen 29:16; Gen 29:18 (E), 1Sam 14:49 (feminine; opposed to ‎הַבְּכִירָה‎); of younger sister Judg 15:2, so (figurative) Ezek 16:46 and (+ ‎מִן‎ compare) vEzek 16:61 brother 1Chr 24:31 ‎׳‎‎הַקּ‎ youngest son (of several) 1Sam 16:11; 1Sam 17:14 ‎גָּדוֺל‎ = young and old (see ‎קָטֹן‎ 1) Jer 16:6 compare 2Chr 31:15; 2Chr 34:30.
b. of things : utterance Num 22:18 (E), weight Deut 25:13; Deut 25:14, vessels 2Chr 36:18, animals Ps 104:25 (all opposed to ‎גדול‎); compare also 2Sam 12:3; 1Kgs 2:20; 1Kgs 17:13; 1Kgs 18:44; 2Kgs 4:10; Ezek 43:14 (opposed to ‎גדול‎), Prov 30:24; Song 2:15, + probably Ezek 46:22 (see II. [ ‎קָטַר‎]); ‎כְּלֵי‎ ‎הַקָּטָן‎ Isa 22:24 the vessels of small size (figurative).

2. small;
a. with added idea of weakness, person 2Kgs 18:24=Isa 36:9, city Eccl 9:14.
b. = insignificant, (I) tribe 1Sam 9:21 (2) person (+‎גדול‎; = all persons) Jer 6:13; Jer 31:34; Jonah 3:5; Ps 115:13; Esth 1:5; Esth 1:20, cf . 1Chr 12:14* (van d. H. v.1Chr 12:13*); (3) in general, ‎יוֺם קְטַנּוֺת‎ Zech 4:10 day of small things. — See also ‎קָטֹן‎.

‎קָטֹן‎₅₄ adjective small, insignificant; — absolute ‎׳‎‎ק‎ 1Sam 2:19 +; construct ‎קְטֹן‎ 2Chr 21:17 — f., plural and suffix supplied by ‎קָטָן‎; —

1. small: especially
a. of youth = young, ‎׳‎‎נַעַר קּ‎ 1Sam 20:35; 1Kgs 3:7; 2Kgs 5:14; Isa 11:6 = younger of two brothers, Gen 48:19 (E) Judg 1:13; Judg 3:9 (+ ‎מִן‎ compare); ‎׳‎‎הַקּ‎ youngest brother Gen 42:13 + 10 t. Genesis (JE), son Judg 9:5; 2Chr 22:1, so ‎קְטֹן בָּנָיו‎ 2Chr 21:17 + ‎גדול‎ = young and old (see ‎קָטָן‎ 1), i.e. everybodty Gen 19:11 (J), 1Sam 5:9; 1Sam 30:2 + (of person and things) v1Sam 30:19.
b. of things 1Sam 2:19; 1Kgs 8:64 (+ ‎מִן‎ compare), Amos 6:11; Isa 54:7 opposed to ‎גָּדוֺל‎ 1Sam 22:15; 1Sam 25:36; Gen 1:16 (P).

2. = unimportant, things, Exod 18:22; Exod 18:26 (E), 1Sam 20:2 (all opposed to ‎גדול‎); person,=feeble Amos 7:2; Amos 7:5 = insignificant Jer 49:15; Obad 1:2 (both || ‎בָּזוּי‎), Isa 60:22 (|| ‎צָעִיר‎); ‎בְּעֵינֶיךָ‎ ‎׳‎‎ק‎ 1Sam 15:17 especially + ‎גָּדוֺל‎ = low and high, + everybody, Deut 1:17; 1Kgs 22:31 = 2Chr 18:30; Jer 8:10; Job 3:19, +8 t. — See also ‎קָטָן‎.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References