Very small in size; a term used in youth sports for the youngest players.
Likely imitative in origin, from 'pee' (small, childish) + 'wee' (tiny). Common in American English by the early 20th century, especially in sports terminology.
The double diminutive 'pee-wee' doubles down on smallness through pure sound—English loves these rhyming reductions ('teeny-weeny,' 'itty-bitty'), and 'peewee' became the official name for kids' sports leagues, turning cuteness into an organizational category.
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