-ette

/-ɛt/

suffix

Used to form nouns meaning a smaller form of something.

“disk + -ette → diskette”

Similar
-cule-ee-el-et-icle-ie-kin-le
Opposite
super-supra-hyper-ultra-uber-
OriginMiddle English -ette →
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Meanings

-ette1

suffix
  1. diminutiveUsed to form nouns meaning a smaller form of something.

    disk + -ette → diskette

    2 more examples

    cigar + -ette → cigarette

    kitchen + -ette → kitchenette

    Synonyms: -cule, -ee, -el, -et, -icle, -ie, -kin, -le

  2. Used to form nouns meaning or implying the female equivalent of.

    smurf + -ette → Smurfette

    3 more examples

    bachelor + -ette → bachelorette

    drum major + -ette → drum majorette

    ranger + -ette → Rangerette

  3. Used to form nouns meaning an imitation or substitute of something.

    leather + -ette → leatherette

  4. PolariUsed to form nouns with a Polari context or an association with gay subculture.

    You may have vada'd one of our tiny bijou masterpiecettes, heartface.

    1967, Barry Took, Marty Feldman, “Gaslight Son of Flicker”, in Round the Horne, spoken by Sandy (Kenneth Williams)
    1 more example

    'Shame, eh, my little cherry? I was really bonar for him and all. It'll be a lonely old arthur for me tonight as usual. Ah well, let's have another little drinkette then, shall we? And perhaps, Poppett,' he sighed histrionically. 'I'll learn to keep my queeny old polari for them what appreciates it. Or for them what admints^([sic – meaning admits]) it,'

    2002, Gilda O'Neill, The Sins Of Their Fathers (Eastend Trilogy; 1)

-ette2

suffix
  1. fictionUsed to form nouns and adjectives signifying a person, especially a woman, with the specified hair color.

    raven + -ette → ravenette

    1 more example

    purple + -ette → purplette

Synonyms & antonyms

suffixUsed to form nouns meaning a smaller form of something.

Similar
-cule-ee-el-et-icle-ie-kin-le-let-ling-ole-ule-ymini-micro-nano-
Similar
-a-ess-ine-ressshe--trix

antonym(s) of “diminutive”

Opposite
super-supra-hyper-ultra-uber-macro-arch-over-mega-giga--zillagrandgreat

antonym(s) of “female affix”

Opposite
he-
Also see
-a-cule-ee-el-ess-et-icle-ie-ine-kin-le-let-lingmicro-mini-nano--ole-ressshe--trix-ule-y

Origin

-ette · suffix

  1. Middle English-ette
  2. Middle English-ette
  3. English-ette

Inherited from Middle English -ette, borrowed from Old French -ette, from Latin -ittus.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

-ette · suffix

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰerH-?
  2. Proto-Germanic*brūnaz
  3. Frankish*brūn
  4. Old Frenchbrun
  5. Old Frenchbrunet
  6. Old Frenchbrunete
  7. Frenchbrunette
  8. Englishbrunettebf.
  9. English-ette

Back-formation from brunette.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Sounds the same

-et-et
Cite this entry
APA

-ette. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ette

MLA

“-ette.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ette. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-ette,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ette.

Source: -ette on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.