In the novel, the tiny people of Lilliput, a fictional island nation, are described as being very small. Swift uses the Lilliputians to satirize the political and social issues of his time.
Since the novel's publication, "Lilliputian" has become a widely used term to describe something very small or minute. It has also become associated with pettiness and narrow-mindedness, reflecting Swift's satirical portrayal of Lilliputian society.