diminish

diminish
\ \ [15] Diminish is a hybrid verb, the result of a marriage between the now obsolete diminue [14] and the virtually obsolete minish [14], both of which meant ‘make smaller’. Diminue came via Old French diminuer from Latin dīminuerebreak into small pieces’; it was a compound verb formed from the prefix - ‘from’ and minuerelessen’ (source of English minute). Minish came via Old French menuiser from Vulgar Latin *minūtiāre, a derivative of Latin minūtussmall’; this, bringing the history of diminish full circle, was an adjectival use of the past participle of minuere.
\ \ Cf.MINUTE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Diminish — Di*min ish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Diminished}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Diminishing}.] [Pref. di (= L. dis ) + minish: cf. L. diminuere, F. diminuer, OE. diminuen. See {Dis }, and {Minish}.] 1. To make smaller in any manner; to reduce in bulk or amount;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • diminish — UK US /dɪˈmɪnɪʃ/ verb [I or T] ► to reduce or be reduced in size, importance, or value: »If consumers start losing confidence, it will diminish demand for household goods. »Investors can diversify their holdings in order to diminish risk. »Over a …   Financial and business terms

  • diminish — (v.) early 15c., 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 (see… …   Etymology dictionary

  • diminish — [v1] become or cause to be less abate, abbreviate, attenuate, become smaller, close, contract, curtail, cut, decline, decrease, depreciate, die out, drain, dwindle, ebb, extenuate, fade away, lessen, lower, minify, moderate, peter out, recede,… …   New thesaurus

  • Diminish — Di*min ish, v. i. To become or appear less or smaller; to lessen; as, the apparent size of an object diminishes as we recede from it. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • diminish — I verb abate, abbreviate, abrade, abridge, alleviate, assuage, bate, become smaller, belittle, bound, cause to be smaller, cause to taper, cheapen, compress, consume, contract, curb, curtail, cut back, cut down, damp down, dampen, decelerate,… …   Law dictionary

  • diminish — reduce, *decrease, lessen, abate, dwindle Analogous words: wane, ebb, *abate, subside: *moderate, temper: lighten, alleviate, mitigate (see RELIEVE): attenuate, extenuate (see THIN) Contrasted words: enlarge, augment, *increase: * …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • diminish — ► VERB ▪ make or become less. ● (the law of) diminishing returns Cf. ↑the law of diminishing returns ORIGIN Latin deminuere lessen …   English terms dictionary

  • diminish — [də min′ish] vt. [ME diminishen, a blend of diminuen, to reduce (< OFr diminuer < L diminuere, var. of deminuere < de , from + minuere, to lessen < minus, small) & minishen, to make smaller < OFr menusier < VL * minutiare < L …   English World dictionary

  • diminish — 01. Cooking and freezing do not [diminish] the spicy heat of a hot pepper. 02. The threat of war has [diminished] now that the government has withdrawn its troops from the disputed territory. 03. The Prime Minister refuses to allow the power of… …   Grammatical examples in English

  • diminish */*/ — UK [dɪˈmɪnɪʃ] / US verb Word forms diminish : present tense I/you/we/they diminish he/she/it diminishes present participle diminishing past tense diminished past participle diminished 1) [intransitive] to become less The intensity of the sound… …   English dictionary

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