morsel
/ˈmɔː.səl/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A morsel is a very small piece of food. It can also mean a small amount of something, especially information or a thing you want.
- She ate a morsel of bread.
- He shared a morsel of gossip.
- I only know a morsel of the story.
Adinary Nuance
A morsel is smaller and often more delicate than a piece or bit. It can sound slightly literary or careful, especially in phrases like a morsel of food or a morsel of information. Writers choose it when they want to suggest something tiny, precious, or just enough to notice.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- miếng nhỏ
- Spanish
- mordisco
- Chinese
- 小块
- Japanese
- 一口
- Korean
- 한 입
Etymology
Morsel comes from Old French morsel, meaning 'small bite' or 'bit'. It entered English in the Middle Ages and kept its idea of something small.
Common phrases
a morsel of fooda morsel of informationa morsel of gossip
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is morsel a common word in everyday English?
- It is understandable, but people use it less often than bit or piece.
- Is morsel formal or informal?
- It is neutral, but slightly literary or careful in tone.
- Can I use morsel for information?
- Yes. It means a small amount of information or news.
- What is the difference between morsel and bit?
- Bit is more common and general. Morsel sounds smaller, nicer, and a little more formal.