Tad bit vs tidbit

Photo of author

Grammarist

Tad bit means a little amount of something and is synonymous with tidbit and titbit. Though it is always spelled as two words.  Tad and bit can both be used on their own for a similar meaning. The use of both may seem redundant, however, it is an accepted phrase. It should not be used with another size adjective (e.g., a little tad bit or tad bit little).

All terms are usually used with the article a.

The phrase a bit can also signify a small amount of time or distance.

Be aware that bit on its own has alternative meanings such as the piece of a horse’s reins that goes in the horse’s mouth, a piece of a drill that bores into material, part of binary code, the past tense of bite, and a comedy routine.

Examples

It was a tad bit ironic that since Royal Belum is home to numerous birds and mammals, sightings of living things (other than fellow human beings) were scarce. [Malaysian Insider]

It will be a tad bit humid this weekend but our overall comfort level will be pleasant. [FOX 59]

The Dubai index ended a tad lower on Thursday led by Emaar as investors booked profits ahead of holidays. [Gulf News]

The very affordable Dacia Duster has been given a bit of a makeover for the UK for 2015 with cosmetic tweaks and quality improvements. [CarsUK]

We’ll get to some fun baseball player conversations on this topic in a bit, including a chat with, arguably, the most educated player currently in MLB. [Fox Sports]