Piccolo means what in Italian?

In Italian, piccolo means "little" or "small." It is a common adjective used for something limited in size, extent, or age, such as a small house or a little child.

Piccolo is normally the masculine singular form. Its feminine equivalent is piccola, while the plural forms are piccoli for masculine or mixed groups and piccole for feminine nouns. Italian adjectives change to agree with the noun they describe, so the ending matters in ordinary speech.

The word can also carry affectionate or figurative meanings depending on context. A speaker might use piccolo for a young child, a small amount, or something modest in importance. It should not automatically be translated as "short," because Italian more commonly uses basso or corto for specific meanings of shortness.

Music creates another familiar association: the piccolo is also a small, high-pitched woodwind instrument related to the flute. That instrumental name comes from the same Italian word, essentially meaning "small" or "little." In this vocabulary question, however, the intended translation is the adjective "little."