Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Lesser
Less′er
(lĕs′ẽr)
, Adj.
[This word is formed by adding anew the compar. suffix ]
-er
(in which r
is from an original s
) to less
. See Less
, Adj.
Less; smaller; inferior.
God made . . . the
lesser
light to rule the night. Gen. i. 15.
☞ Lesser is used for less, now the compar. of little, in certain special instances in which its employment has become established by custom; as, Lesser Asia (i. e., Asia Minor), the lesser light, and some others; also in poetry, for the sake of the meter, and in prose where its use renders the passage more euphonious.
The more my prayer, the
lesser
is my grace. Shakespeare
The larger here, and there the
lesser
lambs. Pope.
By the same reason may a man, in the state of nature, punish the
lesser
breaches of the law. Locke.
Less′er
,adv.
Less.
[Obs.]
Shak.
Webster 1828 Edition
Lesser
LESS'ER
,Adj.
Less; smaller. Authors always write the Lesser Asia.
By the same reason, may a man in a state of nature, punish the lesser breaches of that law.
God made the lesser light to rule the night. Gen. 1.
Definition 2024
lesser
lesser
English
Adjective
lesser
Derived terms
Terms derived from the adjective "lesser"
Translations
the comparative of little
of two things, the smaller in size, value, importance etc
|
Noun
lesser (plural lessers)
- a thing that is of smaller size, value, importance etc.
- the lesser of two evils
- The greater sand hills increasingly do not migrate, but almost all lessers do.
Translations
thing that is of smaller size
|
Related terms
Anagrams
Old French
Verb
lesser
- Alternative form of laissier
Conjugation
This verb conjugates as a first-group verb ending in -er. The forms that would normally end in *-ss, *-sss, *-sst are modified to s, s, st. This verb has irregularities in its conjugation. Old French conjugation varies significantly by date and by region. The following conjugation should be treated as a guide.
Conjugation of lesser (see also Appendix:Old French verbs)
| simple | compound | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| infinitive | lesser | avoir lessé | |||||
| gerund | en lessant | Use the gerund of avoir followed by the past participle | |||||
| present participle | lessant | ||||||
| past participle | lessé | ||||||
| person | singular | plural | |||||
| first | second | third | first | second | third | ||
| indicative | jo | tu | il | nos | vos | il | |
| simple tenses |
present | les | lesses | lesse | lessons | lessez | lessent |
| imperfect | lessoie, lesseie, lessoe, lesseve | lessoies, lesseies, lessoes, lesseves | lessoit, lesseit, lessot, lesseve | lessiiens, lessiens | lessiiez, lessiez | lessoient, lesseient, lessoent, lessevent | |
| preterite | lessai | lessas | lessa | lessames | lessastes | lesserent | |
| future | lesserai | lesseras | lessera | lesserons | lesseroiz, lessereiz, lesserez | lesseront | |
| conditional | lesseroie, lessereie | lesseroies, lessereies | lesseroit, lessereit | lesseriiens, lesseriens | lesseriiez, lesseriez | lesseroient, lessereient | |
| compound tenses |
present perfect | Use the present tense of avoir followed by the past participle | |||||
| pluperfect | Use the imperfect tense of avoir followed by the past participle | ||||||
| past anterior | Use the preterite tense of avoir followed by the past participle | ||||||
| future perfect | Use the future tense of avoir followed by the past participle | ||||||
| conditional perfect | Use the conditional tense of avoir followed by the past participle | ||||||
| subjunctive | que jo | que tu | qu’il | que nos | que vos | qu’il | |
| simple tenses |
present | les | les | lest | lessons | lessez | lessent |
| imperfect | lessasse | lessasses | lessast | lessissons, lessissiens | lessissoiz, lessissez, lessissiez | lessassent | |
| compound tenses |
past | Use the present subjunctive of avoir followed by the past participle | |||||
| pluperfect | Use the imperfect subjunctive of avoir followed by the past participle | ||||||
| imperative | – | tu | – | nos | vos | – | |
| — | lesse, les | — | lessons | lessez | — | ||