Diminutive Meaning
/dɪˈmɪn.jə.tɪv/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjVery small.
adjServing to diminish.
Sentence Examples
There could be many uses for such a diminutive flying vehicle.
Twig in beak, the diminutive bird pranced atop the thick branch.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ puppy could fit easily inside a teacup.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There could be many uses for such a ____ flying vehicle.
Word Origin & History
Inherited from Middle English diminutif, derived from Old French diminutif, derived from Latin dīminutīv|us, ~a, ~um (adjective), from dīminūt|us, ~a, ~um (participle), perfect passive participle of dīmin|uō, ~uere, ~uī, ~ūtum (verb). First attested in 1398.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Mrs. Washington ("Oh, la, call me Martha, Boys") is a diminutive woman with a cheerful rather than happy air, who seems to bustle even when standing still.."
— 1997, Thomas Pynchon, Mason & Dixon, New York: Henry Holt and Company, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 229:
"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”, in BBC Sport:
"But I was frightfully fond of the universe and wanted to address it by a diminutive. I often did so; and it never seemed to mind."
— 1908, G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy:
"When we come to occupative names, we are again confronted by crowds of diminutives."
— 1916, Ernest Weekley, Surnames, page 287:
"The British use the term “fidlets”, a diminutive of “Fid”, which in turn is an acronym for Falkland Island Dependencies, the former name of the British Antarctic Survey."
— 2024 June 20, Eva Corlett, “Fidlets, fingies and riding a doo: study sheds light on Antarctic English slang”, in The Guardian:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ puppy could fit easily inside a teacup.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There could be many uses for such a ____ flying vehicle.