# Diminutive > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Diminutive > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Diminutive.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminutive > Source revision: 1351187433 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Word modified to convey a slighter degree}} {{Wiktionary|diminutive}} A '''diminutive''' is a word obtained by modifying a [root word](/source/root_word) to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of [intimacy](/source/Intimate_relationship) or [endearment](/source/Term_of_endearment), and sometimes to belittle something or someone.Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 6th edition A {{nowrap|'''diminutive form'''}} ([abbreviated](/source/list_of_glossing_abbreviations) {{smallcaps all|'''dim'''}}) is a word-formation device used to express such meanings. A {{nowrap|'''double diminutive'''}} is a diminutive form with two diminutive suffixes rather than one. == Purpose == Diminutives are often employed as [nicknames](/source/nicknames) and [pet name](/source/pet_name)s when speaking to small children and when expressing extreme tenderness and [intimacy](/source/intimacy) to an adult. The opposite of the diminutive form is the [augmentative](/source/augmentative). In some contexts, diminutives are also employed in a [pejorative](/source/pejorative) sense to denote that someone or something is weak or childish. For example, one of the last [Western Roman](/source/Western_Roman) emperors was [Romulus Augustus](/source/Romulus_Augustus), but his name was diminutivized to "Romulus Augustulus" to express his powerlessness. == Formation == In many languages, diminutives are [word form](/source/word_form)s that are formed from the root word by [affixation](/source/affixation). In most languages, diminutives can also be formed as multi-word constructions such as "[Tiny Tim](/source/Tiny_Tim_(disambiguation))", or "Little Dorrit". In English, diminutive forms can be created using the prefix mini- (''minibus'') or suffixes like -let (''piglet'') and -y (''kitty'', derived from ''kitten''). Diminutives are used in personal names and shortened forms of names to convey familiarity or affection (''Stevie'' or ''Stevey'', derived from ''Steven''). The suffix -y can signal approximation rather than literal smallness (a ''bluey'' color meaning ''somewhat blue'').{{Cite web |date= |title=Diminutives (-let, -y and mini-) |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/diminutives-let-y-and-mini |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=Cambridge Dictionary |language=en}} In English, which is an [analytic language](/source/analytic_language), diminution is expressed less frequently through morphological modification and more often through descriptive phrases. Instead of attaching diminutive affixes, English commonly conveys smallness or endearment syntactically, using adjectives such as ''small'' or ''little'' (''small house'', ''little girl''). By contrast, some languages that are also generally classified as analytic display far more developed diminutive morphology. For example, [Macedonian](/source/Macedonian_language) has an extensive system of diminutive affixes for nouns and adjectives, comparable to those found in other [South Slavic languages](/source/South_Slavic_languages) such as [Croatian](/source/Croatian_language), although both languages can also express diminution through analytic constructions.{{Cite journal |last=Ćužić |first=Tomislav |date=2017 |title=Imenska deminucija u hrvatskome i makedonskome jeziku |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/189434 |journal=Jezikoslovlje |language=hr |volume=18. |issue=2 |page=229 |issn=1331-7202}} In most languages that form diminutives by affixation, this is a [productive](/source/productivity_(linguistics)) part of the language.{{cite web |website=The Standards Site |title=Glossary - D to F |date=2008 |publisher=Department for Children, Schools and Families, [The Crown](/source/The_Crown) |url=http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/secondary/keystage3/respub/mflframework/appendices/glossary_of_terms/d_to_f/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227150101/http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/secondary/keystage3/respub/mflframework/appendices/glossary_of_terms/d_to_f/ |archive-date=2008-12-27 }} For example, in Spanish {{lang|es|gordo}} can be a nickname for someone who is overweight, and by adding an {{lang|es|-ito}} suffix, it becomes {{lang|es|gordito}} which is more affectionate. Examples for a double diminutive having two diminutive suffixes are in Polish {{lang|pl|dzwon}} → {{lang|pl|dzwonek}} → {{lang|pl|dzwoneczek}} or Italian {{lang|it|casa}} → {{lang|it|casetta}} → {{lang|it|casettina}}). In English, the alteration of meaning is often conveyed through [clipping](/source/clipping_(morphology)), making the words shorter and more [colloquial](/source/colloquial). Diminutives formed by adding [affix](/source/affix)es in other languages are often longer and (as colloquial) not necessarily understood. While many languages apply a grammatical diminutive to [noun](/source/noun)s, a few – including Slovak, [Dutch](/source/list_of_diminutives_by_language), [Spanish](/source/list_of_diminutives_by_language), [Romanian](/source/list_of_diminutives_by_language), [Latin](/source/list_of_diminutives_by_language), [Polish](/source/list_of_diminutives_by_language), [Bulgarian](/source/list_of_diminutives_by_language), [Czech](/source/list_of_diminutives_by_language), [Russian](/source/list_of_diminutives_by_language) and [Estonian](/source/list_of_diminutives_by_language) – also use it for [adjective](/source/adjective)s (in Polish: {{lang|pl|słodki}} → {{lang|pl|słodziutki}} → {{lang|pl|słodziuteńki}}) and even other [parts of speech](/source/lexical_category) (Ukrainian {{lang|uk|спати}} → {{lang|uk|спатки}} → {{lang|uk|спатоньки}} — to sleep or Slovak {{lang|sk|spať}} → {{lang|sk|spinkať}} → {{lang|sk|spinuškať}} — to sleep, {{lang|sk|bežať}} → {{lang|sk|bežkať}} — to run). Diminutives in [isolating language](/source/isolating_language)s may [grammaticalize](/source/grammaticalization) strategies other than suffixes or prefixes. In [Mandarin Chinese](/source/Mandarin_Chinese), for example, other than the nominal prefix 小- ''xiǎo-'' and nominal suffixes -儿/-兒 ''-r'' and -子 ''-zi'', [reduplication](/source/reduplication) is a [productive](/source/productive_(linguistics)) strategy, e.g., {{lang|zh|舅}} → {{lang|zh|舅舅}} and {{lang|zh|看}} → {{lang|zh|看看}}.{{Cite web |url=http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=23204 |title=Diminutives and reduplicatives in Chinese |website=Language Log |access-date=2018-02-22}} In formal [Mandarin](/source/Mandarin_Chinese) usage, the use of diminutives is relatively infrequent, as they tend to be considered to be rather colloquial than formal. Some [Wu Chinese](/source/Wu_Chinese) dialects use a tonal affix for nominal diminutives; that is, diminutives are formed by changing the tone of the word. == English examples == * ''Charlie'' from Charles * ''Chuck'' from Charles * ''darling'' from dear * ''duckling'' or ''duckie'' from duck * ''cygnet'' from [Old French](/source/Old_French) ''cigne''; French ''cygne'' (both: swan) * ''kitten'' from [Middle English](/source/Middle_English) ''kitoun'', Old French ''chitoun'', diminutive of ''chat'', cat * ''ringlet'' from ring * ''doggie'' from dog * ''fishie'' from fish ==See also== *[Affect (linguistics)](/source/Affect_(linguistics)) *[Augmentative](/source/Augmentative) *[Comparison (grammar)](/source/Comparison_(grammar)) *[Diminutives in Australian English](/source/Diminutives_in_Australian_English) *[Hypocorism](/source/Hypocorism) (diminutives of given names) *[List of diminutives by language](/source/List_of_diminutives_by_language) *-ie ending ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Personal names}} {{Authority control}} Category:Linguistic morphology * --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Diminutive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminutive) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminutive?action=history)). 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