English Explanatory Dictionary

extenuating

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. present participle and gerund of extenuate
adj
  1. That lessens the seriousness of something by providing an excuse.

Word forms

extenuating more extenuating most extenuating

Etymology

From Latin ex (“to delete, to cross out”) and tenuatus, past participle of tenuare (“to make thin”) + Middle English -ing. By surface analysis, ex- + tenuate + -ing.

Derived words

extenuating circumstance extenuatingly nonextenuating unextenuating
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