1: indicating small size and sometimes the state or quality of being familiarly known, lovable, pitiable, or contemptible —used of affixes (as -ette, -kin, -ling) and of words formed with them (as kitchenette, manikin, duckling), of clipped forms (as Jim), and of altered forms (as Peggy) — compare augmentative
2: exceptionally or notably small : tiny
Examples:
a radio with a diminutive set of speakers
the diminutive suffixes “-ette” and “-ling”
Etymology:
Middle English diminutif, from Medieval Latin diminutivum, alteration of Late Latin deminutivum, from neuter of deminutivus, adjective, from deminutus, past participle of deminuere, diminish, lessen
First Known Use: 14th century
