# a mite

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/a-mite
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To a small extent; in a small amount; rather.

## Examples

- The soup is a mite too salty for my taste.
- The room felt a mite cold, so I turned up the heater before the guests arrived.
- His explanation seemed a mite suspicious, leaving the committee to wonder if he had been entirely honest about the project's budget.

## Origin

From Middle English a + mite, in reference to the minute arachnid of the order Acarina. The term signifies anything very small, a minute object, or a very little quantity or particle.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.