Diminutive Definition

dĭ-mĭnyə-tĭv

diminutives

adjective

Extremely or extraordinarily small.

American Heritage

Much smaller than ordinary or average; very small; tiny.

Webster's New World

Of or being a suffix that indicates smallness or, by semantic extension, qualities such as youth, familiarity, affection, or contempt, as -let in booklet, -kin in lambkin, or -et in nymphet.

American Heritage

Expressing smallness or diminution.

A diminutive suffix or name.

Webster's New World

Very small.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
tall
huge
big
large

noun

diminutives

A very small person or thing.

Webster's New World

Such a suffix.

Webster's New World

A word or name formed from another by the addition of a suffix expressing smallness in size or, sometimes, endearment or condescension, as ringlet (ring + -let), Jackie (Jack + -ie), lambkin (lamb + -kin)

Webster's New World

(grammar) A word form expressing smallness, youth, unimportance, or endearment.

Booklet, the diminutive of book, means ‘small book’.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
micro

Other Word Forms of Diminutive

Noun

Singular:

diminutive

Plural:

diminutives

Origin of Diminutive

Middle English diminutif from Old French from Latin dīminūtīvus from dīminūtus past participle of dīminuere diminish

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Middle French diminutif (1398), from Latin diminutivum, from deminuere (“diminish”).

From Wiktionary