Nearby Words
verb (used with object), -tled, -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. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Belittling
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
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:
EXPAND"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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