Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In Greek and Latin grammar, same as diminutive.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Endearing; diminutive.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Pertaining to a nickname, usually indicating intimacy with the person.
  • noun A nickname, especially one indicating intimacy and formed through a shortening of the original name.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Ancient Greek ὑποκοριστικός (hupokoristikos), from ὑποκορίζομαι (hupokorizomai, "I speak in the language of children"), from ὑπό (hupo, "below") + κορίζομαι (korizomai, "I act like a girl"), from κόρη (korē, "girl").

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Examples

Comments

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  • Not a very hypocoristic word, is it? ;-)

    July 26, 2007

  • Not at all! I changed to hypocorism, but forgot to eliminate all traces of my presence here. Somehow pet name loses something in this deal.

    July 26, 2007