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diminish

 - 3 dictionary results

di⋅min⋅ish

  [di-min-ish]
Use diminish in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to make or cause to seem smaller, less, less important, etc.; lessen; reduce.
2. Architecture. to give (a column) a form tapering inward from bottom to top.
3. Music. to make (an interval) smaller by a chromatic half step than the corresponding perfect or minor interval.
4. to detract from the authority, honor, stature, or reputation of; disparage.
–verb (used without object)
5. to lessen; decrease.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME; b. diminuen (< AF diminuer < ML dīminuere for L dēminuere to make smaller) and minishen minish

Related forms:
di⋅min⋅ish⋅a⋅ble, adjective
di⋅min⋅ish⋅ment, noun

Synonyms:
5. See decrease.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To diminish
di·min·ish   (dĭ-mĭn'ĭsh)   
v.   di·min·ished, di·min·ish·ing, di·min·ish·es

v.   tr.

    1. To make smaller or less or to cause to appear so.

    2. To detract from the authority, reputation, or prestige of.

  2. To cause to taper.

  3. Music To reduce (a perfect or minor interval) by a semitone.

v.   intr.

  1. To become smaller or less. See Synonyms at decrease.

  2. To taper.


[Middle English diminishen, blend of diminuen, to lessen (from Old French diminuer, from Latin dīminuere, variant of dēminuere : dē-, de- + minuere, to lessen) and minishen, to reduce (from Old French minuiser, from Vulgar Latin *minūtiāre, from Latin minūtia, smallness, from minūtus, small, from past participle of minuere); see mei-2 in Indo-European roots.]
di·min'ish·a·ble adj., di·min'ish·ment n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

diminish 
1417, from merger of two obsolete verbs, diminue and minish. Diminue is from O.Fr. diminuer "make small," from L. diminuere "break into small pieces," variant of deminuere "lessen, diminish," from de- "completely" + minuere "make small." Minish is from O.Fr. menuisier, from L. minuere.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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