diminute

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/ˈdɪmɪnjuːt//ˈdɪmɪnuːt//dɪˈmɪnjuːt//dɪˈmɪnuːt/

adjective

Small; diminutive.

OriginMiddle English diminute ← Latin dīminūtus ← Old French diminut →
Scrabble 11
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Meanings

adjectivediminute (comparative more diminute, superlative most diminute)

comparative more diminute · superlative most diminute

  1. obsoleteSmall; diminutive.

    prices made diminute and lessened to such proportions and abatements as that fault should make

    1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, “[XXVIII Sermons Preached at Golden Grove; Being for the Summer Half-year, […].] ”, in ΕΝΙΑΥΤΟΣ [Eniautos]. A Course of Sermons for All the Sundays of the Year. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Richard Royston […], published 1654, →OCLC
verbdiminute (third-person singular simple present diminutes, present participle diminuting, simple past and past participle diminuted)

present singular third person diminutes · participle present diminuting · participle past diminuted · past diminuted

  1. To reduce, to lessen.

Origin

  1. Old Frenchdiminut
  2. Latindīminūtus
  3. Middle Englishdiminute
  4. Englishdiminute

From Middle English diminute, from Latin dīminūtus and Old French diminut.

More words from Middle English, Latin, Old French

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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