The spelling of the phrase "little office" is straightforward, with each word pronounced as expected based on its individual spelling. The phonetic transcriptions for "little" and "office" are /ˈlɪtəl/ and /ˈɒfɪs/ respectively. The stress falls on the first syllable of "little" and the second syllable of "office." The word "little" refers to something small in size or importance, while "office" means a place where administrative work is done, or a position of authority. Together, they form a phrase that can refer to a small workspace or a specific type of religious prayer service.
The word "little" derives from the Old English "lytel", which means "small in size or quantity". It can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "lutilaz".
The word "office" comes from the Latin "officium", which refers to a duty, task, or service. It can be further broken down to "opus" meaning "work" and "facere" meaning "to do".
When combined, "little office" refers to a small or lesser duty or task, usually in relation to religious or ceremonial practices. In particular, it can refer to a shorter version of the Divine Office or the prayers said by individuals in the Catholic Church.