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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

be·lit·tle

Audio Help [bi-lit-l] Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object), -tled, -tling.

to regard or portray as less impressive or important than appearances indicate; depreciate; disparage.

[Origin: 1775–85, Americanism; be- + little

]

—Related forms

be·lit·tle·ment, noun

be·lit·tler, noun

—Synonyms minimize, decry, deprecate, deride, scorn, dismiss.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
belittle

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

be·lit·tle Audio Help (bĭ-lĭt'l) Pronunciation Key
tr.v. be·lit·tled, be·lit·tling, be·lit·tles

To represent or speak of as contemptibly small or unimportant; disparage: a person who belittled our efforts to do the job right.
To cause to seem less than another or little: The size of the office tower belittles the surrounding buildings. See Synonyms at decry.

be·lit'tle·ment n., be·lit'tler n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
belittle

1781, "to make small," from little, first recorded in writings of Thomas Jefferson (and probably coined by him), who was 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 fig. sense of "depreciate, scorn as worthless" is from 1797.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

belittle
verb
1.	cause to seem less serious; play down; "Don't belittle his influence" [syn: minimize]
2.	express a negative opinion of; "She disparaged her student's efforts" [syn: disparage] [ant: blandish]
3.	lessen the authority, dignity, or reputation of; "don't belittle your colleagues" [syn: diminish]

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
belittle [biˈlitl] verb

to make to seem unimportant (usually by harsh criticism)
Example: She belittled his achievements.

Arabic:	يُقَلِّل من قيمَة
Chinese (Simplified):	贬低
Chinese (Traditional):	貶低
Czech:	snižovat, znevažovat
Danish:	bagatellisere; nedvurdere
Dutch:	kleineren
Estonian:	halvustama
Finnish:	vähätellä
French:	déprécier
German:	herabsetzen
Greek:	υποβαθμίζω, μειώνω
Hungarian:	(le)kicsinyel
Icelandic:	gera lítið úr
Indonesian:	meremehkan
Italian:	sminuire

Japanese:	けなす
Korean:	헐뜯다
Latvian:	noniecināt
Lithuanian:	(su)menkinti
Norwegian:	bagatellisere, nedvurdere
Polish:	umniejszyć
Portuguese (Brazil):	depreciar
Portuguese (Portugal):	minimizar
Romanian:	a minimaliza
Russian:	умалять
Slovak:	znevážiť
Slovenian:	podcenjevati
Spanish:	minimizar, subestimar
Swedish:	förringa, nedsätta
Turkish:	küçültmek, küçümsemek, küçük görmek

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Belittle

Be*lit"tle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Belittled; p. pr. & vb. n. Belittling.] To make little or less in a moral sense; to speak of in a depreciatory or contemptuous way. --T. Jefferson.

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