noun
small hiding place; nook; shady spot
Refers to a small, sheltered, or shaded spot where one can hide or rest, often outdoors. Not a common everyday word; more literary or descriptive.
庭の小陰にベンチを置いた。
I placed a bench in a small shady spot in the garden.
猫が小陰からこちらを見ていた。
A cat was watching me from a small hiding place.
Compound of 小 (small) and 陰 (shade, hidden place). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the meaning is transparent from the components.