Diminutive Definition
diminutive
Contents |
English
WOTD - 8 April 2009Etymology
From Old French diminutif (1398), from Latin diminutivum, from deminuere (“diminish”).
Pronunciation
Adjective
diminutive (comparative more diminutive, superlative most diminutive)
- Very small.
- 2011 October 20, Jamie Lillywhite, “Tottenham 1 - 0 Rubin Kazan”, BBC Sport:
- Roman Sharonov rose unchallenged to head a corner wide, while diminutive winger Gokdeniz Karadeniz ghosted in with a diving header from the edge of the six-yard box that was acrobatically kept out by Gomes.
- 2011 October 20, Jamie Lillywhite, “Tottenham 1 - 0 Rubin Kazan”, BBC Sport:
- Serving to diminish.
Synonyms
- (very small): lilliputian, tiny
Antonyms
- (very small): huge, gigantic
- (serving to diminish): augmentative
Noun
diminutive (plural diminutives)
- (grammar) A word form expressing smallness, youth, unimportance, or endearment.
- Booklet, the diminutive of book, means ‘small book’.
Antonyms
Translations
grammar: word form expressing smallness
|
|
External links
- Diminutive on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Related terms
Danish
Adjective
diminutive
French
Adjective
diminutive f.
- feminine form of diminutif
Italian
Adjective
diminutive f.
- feminine plural form of diminutivo
|
[Hide]▼
In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form (abbreviated DIM), is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment. It is the opposite of an augmentative.
Matching Results for Diminutive:
AsterixAsterix the Gaul, diminutive friend of Obelix, dweller of that famous village in Gaul which remains undefeated by the Romans despite Vercingetorix's capitulation. ...
Charles Darwin
It has been suggested that Notable Charles Darwin misquotes be merged ... I never saw any of the diminutive Portuguese, with their murderous countenances, without ...
M*A*S*H (TV series)
Based on the 20th Century-Fox film M*A*S*H (an acronym for Mobile Army Surgical ... during the Korean War in 1950-53. The series originally aired on CBS from ...
[Hide]▲