English Explanatory Dictionary

diminutive

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Very small.
  2. Serving to diminish.
  3. Of or pertaining to, or creating a word form expressing smallness, youth, unimportance, or endearment.
noun
  1. A word form expressing smallness, youth, unimportance, or endearment.
  2. The smallest, thinnest version of a traditional heraldic ordinary ("geometric shape on a shield"), often used to represent multiple instances of a charge or to modify a main, central, and larger charge; not itself modifiable.

Pronunciation

dĭ-mĭn′yə-tĭv /dɪˈmɪn.jə.tɪv/ en-us-diminutive.ogg en-au-diminutive.ogg /dəˈmən.jə.təv/ /ɖɪˈmɪn.ju.tɪv/ /dɪˈmɪn.ju.ə.tɪv/

Word forms

diminutive more diminutive most diminutive dim. diminutives

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English diminutif, derived from Old French diminutif, derived from Latin dīminutīv|us, ~a, ~um (adjective), from dīminūt|us, ~a, ~um (participle), perfect passive participle of dīmin|uō, ~uere, ~uī, ~ūtum (verb). First attested in 1398.

Synonyms

lilliputian tiny nomen deminutivum

Antonyms

huge gigantic augmentative

Related words

diminish diminution diminutization diminutize hypocorism pet form pet name dimwit proper nouns interjections and suffixes

Derived words

diminutively diminutiveness diminutivize diminutivise nondiminutive undiminutive
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