diminutive (redirected from Diminutive suffix)

di·min·u·tive  (d-mny-tv)

adj.

1. Extremely small in size; tiny. See Synonyms at small.

2. Grammar Of or being a suffix that indicates smallness or, by semantic extension, qualities such as youth, familiarity, affection, or contempt, as -let in booklet, -kin in lambkin, or -et in nymphet.

n.

1. Grammar A diminutive suffix, word, or name.

2. A very small person or thing.

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[Middle English diminutif, from Old French, from Latin dmintvus, variant of dmintvus, from dmintus, past participle of dminuere, to lessen; see diminish.]

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di·minu·tive·ly adv.

di·minu·tive·ness n.

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diminutive [dɪˈmɪnjʊtɪv]

adj

1. very small; tiny

2. (Linguistics) Grammar

a.  denoting an affix added to a word to convey the meaning small or unimportant or to express affection, as for example the suffix -ette in French

b.  denoting a word formed by the addition of a diminutive affix

n

1. (Linguistics / Grammar) Grammar a diminutive word or affix

2. a tiny person or thing Compare (for senses 2, 3) augmentative

diminutival  [dɪˌmɪnjʊˈtaɪv^əl] adj

diminutively  adv

diminutiveness  n

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	diminutive - a word that is formed with a suffix (such as -let or -kin) to indicate smallness word - a unit of language that native speakers can identify; "words are the blocks from which sentences are made"; "he hardly said ten words all morning"
Adj.	1.	diminutive - very small; "diminutive in stature"; "a lilliputian chest of drawers"; "her petite figure"; "tiny feet"; "the flyspeck nation of Bahrain moved toward democracy" bantam, flyspeck, midget, petite, tiny, lilliputian little, small - limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent; "a little dining room"; "a little house"; "a small car"; "a little (or small) group"

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diminutive

adjective small, little, tiny, minute, pocket(-sized), mini, wee, miniature, petite, midget, undersized, teeny-weeny, Lilliputian, bantam, teensy-weensy, pygmy or pigmy a diminutive figure stood at the entrance
big, great, giant, massive (informal), enormous, immense, jumbo (informal), gigantic, colossal, king-size

Translations

diminutive [dɪˈmɪnjʊtɪv]

A. ADJ

1. (= very small) → diminuto

2. (Ling) → diminutivo

B. N (Ling) → diminutivo m

diminutive [dɪˈmɪnjʊtɪv]

adj (= very small) → minuscule, tout(e) petit(e)

n (= shortened form) [word, name] → diminutif m

diminutive

adj → winzig, klein; (Gram) → diminutiv

n (Gram) → Verkleinerungsform f, → Diminutiv(um) nt; (of name) → Kurzform f

diminutive [dɪˈmɪnjʊtɪv]

1. adj (frm) → minuto/a, minuscolo/a

2. n (Gram) → diminutivo