diminutive

American  

[dih-min-yuh-tiv] / dɪˈmɪn jə tɪv /

adjective

1. small; little; tiny.

   a diminutive building for a model-train layout.

2. Grammar. pertaining to or productive of a form denoting smallness, familiarity, affection, or triviality, as the suffix -let, in droplet from drop.

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noun

diminutives plural

1. a small thing or person.

2. Grammar. a diminutive element or formation.

3. Heraldry. a charge, as an ordinary, smaller in length or breadth than the usual.

diminutive British  

/ dɪˌmɪnjʊˈtaɪvəl, dɪˈmɪnjʊtɪv /

adjective

1. very small; tiny

2. grammar

   1. 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

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

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noun

1. grammar a diminutive word or affix

2. a tiny person or thing

Synonym Usage

See little.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• diminutiveness
  noun
• diminutival
  adjective
• diminutively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• diminutives
  plural

Etymology

Origin of diminutive

First recorded before 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin dīminūtīvus, equivalent to Latin dīminūt(us) “lessened” (for dēminūtus ) + -īvus adjective suffix; see diminution, -ive

Explanation

Diminutive means small. A diminutive person is short and small. A diminutive word is a "cute" version of a word or name: for example, "duckling" is a diminutive of "duck" and Billy is a diminutive form of the name William. A diminutive name or word is formed from another by the addition of a suffix expressing smallness in size: a booklet is a small book, and a dinette is a small version of a dining set. The adjective diminutive descends from Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin dīminūtīvus, from Latin dēminuere, "to lessen."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

diminutive diminutives

Despite the movie’s theoretical scope, its execution is painfully and frustratingly diminutive.

From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2026

Paraguay's best players include former Newcastle United forward Miguel Almiron, and diminutive young ball-running midfielder Julio Enciso, who joined French club Strasbourg from Brighton and Hove Albion last summer.

From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026

The diminutive works gathered here show that a poverty of space doesn’t impede an artist’s ability to elicit a big response.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026

But the diminutive man’s plainspoken demeanor failed to gain traction with California voters — a 1991 Times profile deemed him “the unknown senator.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026

“It is an honor. Your performance of Lady Anne was breathtaking. The name’s Louis Napoleon. No relation to the diminutive temperamental French emperor, I’m afraid.”

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

Miden is a fictional island where “there are no longer any diminutives or pet names,” Raimo writes.

From New York Times ● Oct. 1, 2019

There is no mother’s care for the hatchlings, which will emerge as dark-toned diminutives in about 50 days, facing astronomical odds against survival.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2018

After all, these are people who don’t just refer to Cabinet secretaries and generals by their first names, but by diminutives of their first names.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 20, 2015

Looking back over any chart of British naming trends and you'll see there's been a mania for diminutives in the past two decades.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2013

After her defiance of the overseer, they called her Harriet, because the pet names, the diminutives, were no longer fitting for a girl who had displayed such courage.

From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry

Related Words

• little
• mini
• miniature
• minuscule
• minute
• petite
• small
• tiny