belittle
Use Belittle in a sentence
l verb (used with object), be·lit·tled, be·lit·tling.
to regard or portray as less impressive or important than appearances indicate; depreciate; disparage.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To belittle
Collins
World English Dictionary
belittle (bɪˈlɪtəl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to consider or speak of (something) as less valuable or important than it really is; disparage |
| 2. | to cause to make small; dwarf |
| be'littlement | |
| —n | |
| be'littler | |
| —n | |
| be'littlingly | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Belittle
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
belittle
1781, "to make small," from be- + little; first recorded in writings of Thomas Jefferson (and probably coined by him), who was roundly execrated for it in England:
"Belittle! What an expression! It may be an elegant one in Virginia, and even perfectly intelligible; but for our part, all we can do is to guess at its meaning. For shame, Mr. Jefferson!" ["European Magazine and London Review," 1787, reporting on "Notes on the State of Virginia"; to guess was considered another barbarous Yankeeism.]The figurative sense of "depreciate, scorn as worthless" (as the reviewers did to this word) is from 1797.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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