diminutive

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“
Piggy -- an affectionate diminutive, after all -- to the chorus of admiring smacks.

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Definitions (14)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (4)

  1. adjective Extremely small in size; tiny. See Synonyms at small.
  2. adjective 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.
  3. noun Grammar A diminutive suffix, word, or name.
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Examples (50)

  • As soon as we had doubled the cape of this diminutive island, an azure expanse of sea opened to our view, the domes and towers of Venice rising from its bosom. —  Dreams, Waking Thoughts, and Incidents
  • It is a diminutive, a little disguised as “children” in our English version. —  The Jesus of History
  • He was extremely diminutive, and he wore an eyeglass. —  The Reminiscences of an Irish Land Agent
  • The rebels called the diminutive boy "Baby" and sent him for six months of military training in the jungle. —  Top Stories - Google News
  • More diminutive, the Sidekick "Lite" also features a two-in-one modular design. —  Cool Hunting
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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

slender ·  tiny ·  puny ·  frail ·  insignificant ·  elderly ·  gigantic ·  skinny ·  young ·  shabby ·  comely ·  stocky
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English diminutif, from Old French, from Latin dīminūtīvus, variant of dēminūtīvus, from dēminūtus, past participle of dēminuere, to lessen; see diminish.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. = French diminutif = Spanish Portuguese Italian diminutivo (= German diminutiv = Sw.Danish diminutiv, in grammar), from Middle Latin diminutivus for Late Latin deminutivus (in grammar), from Latin deminutus, past participle of deminuere, make small: see diminish.
 

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/dɪˈmɪnjutɪv/
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