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Just as diminish means "to grow smaller", diminutive means "very small". When writing about language, diminutive as both an adjective and a noun refers to particular endings and the words made with them to indicate smallness. In English, such endings include -et and -ette (piglet, dinette, cigarette, diskette) as well as -ie and -y (doggy, bootie, Bobby, Debbie). However, diminutives are more common in many other languages. Outside of language, diminutive is used for many things, including people ("She noticed a diminutive figure standing shyly by the door"), but often not very seriously ("We were served some rather diminutive rolls").
Examples of diminutive in a Sentence
Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026 Another gender-neutral name that had a burst of popularity in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Jamie was a go-to for girls or a diminutive of James for boys. —Kara Nesvig, Parents, 20 Feb. 2026
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 29 Apr. 2026 Yet the dark and moody diminutive space, designed with every detail carefully considered, feels airy and light, in no small part thanks to the thoughtful staff who bring life and a sense of place. —Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for diminutive
Cite this Entry
“Diminutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/diminutive. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
diminutive
1 of 2 noun
diminutive
2 of 2 adjective
