diminutive
Americanadjective
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small; little; tiny.
a diminutive building for a model-train layout.
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Grammar. pertaining to or productive of a form denoting smallness, familiarity, affection, or triviality, as the suffix -let, in droplet from drop.
noun
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diminutives
plural
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a small thing or person.
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Grammar. a diminutive element or formation.
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Heraldry. a charge, as an ordinary, smaller in length or breadth than the usual.
adjective
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very small; tiny
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grammar
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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
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denoting a word formed by the addition of a diminutive affix
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noun
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grammar a diminutive word or affix
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a tiny person or thing
Synonym Usage
See little.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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."
Vocabulary lists containing diminutive
Metamorphosis
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The Glass Castle
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It's the Little Things: Synonyms for "Small"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Often, these services have diminutive and friendly-sounding names.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
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
His growth spurt was something to see, from a diminutive attacker to a beast at 6ft 4in.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
A diminutive girl appears and sets a bundle of envelopes on the desk.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
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
I am currently houndless, but my devotion to the diminutives has not diminished.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 12, 2018
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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
