diminutive

noun

di·min·u·tive | \ də-ˈmi-nyə-tiv

Definition of diminutive

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 grammar : a word, affix, or name usually indicating small size : a diminutive (see diminutive entry 2 sense 1) word, affix, or name

2 : one that is notably small : a diminutive individual

diminutive

adjective

Definition of diminutive (Entry 2 of 2)

1 grammar : indicating small size and sometimes the state or quality of being familiarly known, lovable, pitiable, or contemptible —used of affixes (such as -ette, -kin, -ling) and of words formed with them (such as kitchenette, manikin, duckling), of clipped forms (such as Jim), and of altered forms (such as Peggy) — compare augmentative

2 : exceptionally or notably small : tiny a diminutive performer

Other Words from diminutive Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about diminutive

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Choose the Right Synonym for diminutive

Adjective

small, little, diminutive, minute, tiny, miniature mean noticeably below average in size. small and little are often interchangeable, but small applies more to relative size determined by capacity, value, number. a relatively small backyard little is more absolute in implication often carrying the idea of petiteness, pettiness, insignificance, or immaturity. your pathetic little smile diminutive implies abnormal smallness. diminutive bonsai plants minute implies extreme smallness. a minute amount of caffeine in the soda tiny is an informal equivalent to minute. tiny cracks formed in the painting miniature applies to an exactly proportioned reproduction on a very small scale. a dollhouse with miniature furnishings

Did You Know?

Just as diminish means "to grow smaller", diminutive means "very small". When writing about language, diminutive as both an adjective and a noun refers to particular endings and the words made with them to indicate smallness. In English, such endings include -et and -ette (piglet, dinette, cigarette, diskette) as well as -ie and -y (doggy, bootie, Bobby, Debbie). However, diminutives are more common in many other languages. Outside of language, diminutive is used for many things, including people ("She noticed a diminutive figure standing shyly by the door"), but often not very seriously ("We were served some rather diminutive rolls").

Examples of diminutive in a Sentence

Noun

the diminutives “-ette” and “kitchenette” dik-diks, the diminutives of the antelope family

Adjective

a radio with a diminutive set of speakers the diminutive suffixes “-ette” and “-ling”

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

For parents that really want to find a deeper meaning, Jack was a diminutive of John from the Middle Ages. — Asher Fogle, Good Housekeeping, "The Real Meaning Behind 29 of the Most Popular Baby Names," 6 Jan. 2016 The businessman asked to be identified by the diminutive of his first name, Abdu. — Washington Post, "Syrians in Raqqa afraid, angry, frustrated as they rebuild," 8 Apr. 2018 Both Carnegie libraries in Unionville and Springfield were designed by Edward L. Tilton, in an Italian Renaissance Revival style, essentially rendering the Unionville library a diminutive of the Springfield library, Alderman said. — Jordan Otero Sisson, courant.com, "Unionville Marks 100th Anniversary of Carnegie Library," 16 Aug. 2017 The restaurant in Alexandria where Mr. Youssef got his start was called Samakmak, an affectionate diminutive of samak, Arabic for fish. — Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, "A Different Kind of Alexandria Library, at Little Egypt," 2 Mar. 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

And for the adventure plot, there’s Luci, an equally diminutive demon, who encourages Bean to drink, carouse, and get into trouble. — Noah Berlatsky, The Verge, "Netflix’s Disenchantment suggests the messy future of princess stories," 22 Aug. 2018 That click wheel was the pinnacle of iPod design — so much so that for the rest of its non-touchscreen iPods, Apple didn’t mess with the design, even on its diminutive iPod nano. — Chaim Gartenberg, The Verge, "Button of the Month: iPod click wheel," 21 Nov. 2018 Whether a new type of motorcycle rider will emerge, drawn to the diminutive frame and lighter environmental impact, remains to be seen. — Claire Martin, Outside Online, "Cake Is Making Electric Motorcycles for the Masses," 19 Mar. 2018 The club's chairman Fikret Orman has returned to London - the scene of the thrashing out of terms for Tosun - to secure a transfer for Hernandez that would see the diminutive attacker move to the Vodafone Arena before the end of this month. — SI.com, "Report: Chicharito Nears West Ham Exit as Besiktas Shows Interest," 20 Jan. 2018 The Mac mini does have a (very quiet) internal fan, but there's only so much that the diminutive fan and heatsink can achieve. — Peter Bright, Ars Technica, "Mac mini review—a testament to Apple’s stubbornness," 23 Nov. 2018 In their place will be a diminutive group that hides from us. — Rob Dunn, Discover Magazine, "Our Attempts to Eradicate Insects are Just Making them Resistant to Pesticides," 16 Nov. 2018 Chef Andrea Kirshtein leverages the diminutive kitchen and a Big Green Egg smoker on the patio to turn out baked goods and hearty breakfast and lunch dishes. — Jennifer Bradley Franklin, Condé Nast Traveler, "10 Best Coffee Shops in Atlanta," 22 Aug. 2018 The desire to be seen, to be heard, to be strong and not diminutive in owning our presence. — Amanda Murray, Teen Vogue, "People Are Scrambling to Buy Old Céline After Hedi Slimane's Controversial Collection," 26 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'diminutive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.