Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “diminute” come from?

diminute (English) comes from Middle English diminute, from Latin diminutus, from Latin diminuo, from Proto-Italic dwizminwō.

diminute (English): small; diminutive

Definitions

  1. small; diminutive

Ancestry of “diminute”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdiminute—
2Latindiminutusshattered; violated; diminished
3LatindiminuoI break into small pieces; I shatter; I violate,...
4Proto-Italicdwizminwō—
Every word from Proto-Italic dwizminwō →