【Small】 , 【little】 ,  【diminutive】 ,  【petite】 ,  【wee】 ,  【tiny】 ,  【teeny】 ,  【weeny】 ,  【minute】 ,  【microscopic】 ,  【miniature】  can all mean conspicuously below the average in magnitude, especially physical magnitude.

【Small】  (opposed to large ) and  【little】  (opposed to big , great ) are often used without distinction. But  【small】  , more frequently than  【little】 , applies to things whose magnitude is determined by number, size, capacity, value, or significance.

【Small】  is also preferred when words like quantity , amount , size , and capacity are qualified.

【Small】 also applies to intangible and immeasurable things which, however, may be said to be limited in some pertinent or significant way.

【Little】  is usually more absolute in its implications than  【small】  , which often connotes less magnitude than is ordinary or is to be expected or is desirable; it may be preferred to  【small】 , therefore, when there is the intent to convey a hint of petiteness, of pettiness, or of insignificance in size, amount, quantity, or extent.

【Little】  is also appropriate in the sense of a 【small】 amount, a 【small】 quantity, or a 【small】 extent; thus, one asks for a  【little】  sugar or a  【small】  quantity of sugar; one sees that the garden is  【little】  or of  【small】 extent.

【Little】 is also appropriate when the context carries a note of tenderness, pathos, or affection.

【Diminutive】  not only carries a stronger implication of divergence from a normal or usual size or scale than  【small】  or  【little】 , but it often carries the meaning of extremely or even abnormally 【small】 or 【little】 .

【Petite】 is the usual term to describe a trim, well-shaped woman or girl of 【diminutive】 size.

【Wee】  is found especially in dialectal use in place of  【small】  or  【little】 or in more general use as an equivalent of  【diminutive】 .

【Tiny】  goes further than  【diminutive】  or  【wee】 in suggesting extreme littleness or a smallness out of proportion to most things of its kind or in comparison with all other things.

【Teeny】  and  【weeny】  , found chiefly in childish or playful use, occur also in paired or reduplicated forms (as  【teeny】 - 【weeny】  and  【teeny】 - 【tiny】 ).

【Minute】 means extremely 【small】 on an absolute scale, usually a 【microscopic】 or near- 【microscopic】 scale.

【Microscopic】 applies to what is so 【minute】 that it is literally observable only under a microscope or is of a comparable minuteness in its class.

【Miniature】 applies to what is complete in itself but is built, drawn, or made on a very 【small】 scale.