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Diminutive vs Slight - What's the difference?

diminutive | slight | Related terms |

Diminutive is a related term of slight.


As adjectives the difference between diminutive and slight

is that diminutive is very small while slight is small, weak or gentle; not decidedly marked; not forcible; inconsiderable; unimportant; insignificant; not severe.

As nouns the difference between diminutive and slight

is that diminutive is (grammar) a word form expressing smallness, youth, unimportance, or endearment while slight is the act of slighting; a deliberate act of neglect or discourtesy.

As a verb slight is

to treat as slight or not worthy of attention, to make light of.

diminutive

English

Alternative forms

*

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Very small.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=October 20 , author=Jamie Lillywhite , title=Tottenham 1 - 0 Rubin Kazan , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Roman Sharonov rose unchallenged to head a corner wide, while diminutive winger Gokdeniz Karadeniz ghosted in with a diving header from the edge of the six-yard box that was acrobatically kept out by Gomes.}}
  • Serving to diminish.
  • * Shaftesbury
  • diminutive of liberty
  • (grammar) Of or pertaining to, or creating a word form expressing smallness, youth, unimportance, or endearment.
  • Synonyms

    * (very small) lilliputian, tiny

    Antonyms

    * (very small) huge, gigantic * augmentative

    Noun

    (wikipedia diminutive) (en noun)
  • (grammar) A word form expressing smallness, youth, unimportance, or endearment.
  • Booklet, the diminutive of book, means ‘small book’ .

    Synonyms

    * nomen deminutivum

    Antonyms

    * augmentative

    slight

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Small, weak or gentle; not decidedly marked; not forcible; inconsiderable; unimportant; insignificant; not severe.
  • * (Alexander Pope) (1688-1744)
  • Slight is the subject, but not so the praise.
  • * (John Locke) (1632-1705)
  • Some firmly embrace doctrines upon slight grounds.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers), title=(A Cuckoo in the Nest)
  • , chapter=2 citation , passage=Mother very rightly resented the slightest hint of condescension. She considered that the exclusiveness of Peter's circle was due not to its distinction, but to the fact that it was an inner Babylon of prodigality and whoredom,
  • Not stout or heavy; slender.
  • * Sir (Walter Scott) (1771-1832)
  • his own figure, which was formerly so slight
  • (obsolete) Foolish; silly; weak in intellect.
  • (Hudibras)

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * slightish * slightly * slightness

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To treat as slight or not worthy of attention, to make light of.
  • * Cowper
  • the wretch who slights the bounty of the skies
  • To treat with disdain or neglect.
  • To act negligently or carelessly.
  • (military, of a fortification) To render no longer defensible by full or partial demolition.
  • (Clarendon)
  • To make even or level.
  • (Hexham)
  • To throw heedlessly.
  • * Shakespeare
  • The rogue slighted me into the river.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * slightingly

    Noun

    (wikipedia slight) (en noun)
  • The act of slighting; a deliberate act of neglect or discourtesy.
  • * (Benjamin Franklin)
  • Never use a slighting expression to her, even in jest; for slights in jest, after frequent bandyings, are apt to end in angry earnest.
  • Sleight.
  • (Spenser)

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * put a slight upon

    References

    (Webster 1913)

    Anagrams

    * lights