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It's a cat/dog/animal thing. At least that's where I see "smol" used the most, in relation to kittens and puppies and other newborn animals.

And it's been brewing there for a few years now, and the word's escaping into more contexts.

> It's a cat/dog/animal thing

And a pipi thing too.

It's just an internet culture word. Pubnix doesn't sound apparent to a lay user, smolnet might.

'smol' is just a way of saying small that caught on in certain demographics which is starting to spread further, much like any other slang.

It's just a way of saying small used for "cute" stuff (cats, etc).

Smol webs, smol creatures, smol frens (often also creatures). Can't have too many.

People love their neologisms.