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diminish

Syllabification: (di·min·ish)
Pronunciation: /diˈminiSH/
Translate diminish | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of diminish

verb

  • make or become less: [with object]:a tax whose purpose is to diminish spending [no object]:the pain will gradually diminish
  • [with object] make (someone or something) seem less impressive or valuable:the trial has aged and diminished him

Phrases

(the law of) diminishing returns

used to refer to a point at which the level of profits or benefits gained is less than the amount of money or energy invested.

Derivatives

diminishable

adjective

Origin:

late Middle English: blend of archaic minish 'diminish' (based on Latin minutia 'smallness') and obsolete diminue 'speak disparagingly' (based on Latin deminuere 'lessen' (in late Latin diminuere), from minuere 'make small')

diminish in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of diminish in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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