Smidgen
/ˈsmɪdʒən/noun
A very small amount or tiny bit.
Did you know?Smidgen is a later spelling of smidgin, a colloquial word whose exact origin is uncertain, but it likely arose in U.S. English as a playful diminutive for “a small bit.”
Etymological Timeline
19th Century
English
smidgin
“A small amount; a tiny bit.”
Late 19th Century
English
smidgen
“A variant spelling of smidgin, meaning a very small amount.”
20th Century
English
smidgen
“A colloquial term for a tiny quantity, especially in speech and recipes.”
Modern English
English
smidgen
“A very small amount or tiny bit.”