diminutions
|di-mi-nu-tion|
/ˌdɪmɪˈnjuːʃənz/
(diminution)
reduction
Etymology
'diminution' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'diminutio', where 'diminut-' came from 'diminuere' meaning 'to make small' (from 'di-' [a variant of 'dis-'] + 'minuere' 'to lessen').
'diminution' changed from Latin 'diminutio' into Old French 'diminution' and entered Middle English as 'diminucioun' before becoming the modern English word 'diminution'.
Initially, it meant 'the act of making smaller' or 'a making small'; over time it broadened to the general sense of 'reduction' and acquired specialized senses such as the musical meaning 'ornamental division of notes'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'diminution': a reduction in size, extent, quantity, or importance; decreases or lessening.
The new policy caused significant diminutions in the department's budget and staff.
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Noun 2
in music, the practice of dividing longer notes into a series of shorter, ornamented notes (also called 'division' or 'embellishment'); shortened note values used as decorative passages.
Baroque composers often wrote diminutions to embellish vocal or instrumental lines.
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Last updated: 2026/01/02 22:40