Diminute

/dɪˈmɪnjuːt/ adjective

Definition

Archaic or technical term meaning made smaller, diminished, or reduced.

Etymology

From Latin 'diminutus,' the past participle of 'diminuere' (to diminish). This represents a direct borrowing of the Latin adjective, now largely archaic in English, replaced by 'diminished.'

Kelly Says

While 'diminished' is common, 'diminute' survives mostly in legal and heraldic contexts—it's the word choice that marks you as reading very old documents!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.