diminish
UK[dɪˈmɪnɪʃ]US[dɪˈmɪnɪʃ]
v
to become or make something become smaller, weaker, etc.
v
to make someone or something seem less important or valuable.
Morpheme Breakdown
di
min
ish
di
completely
min
small
ish
verb suffix
Etymology
the word 'diminish' entered english in the late middle english period from a blend of two sources: the latin verb 'minuere', meaning 'to lessen', and the now-obsolete english word 'minish', which came from the same latin root via old french. the prefix 'di-', a variant of 'dis-', was added to intensify the meaning, effectively creating a sense of 'to make completely smaller'. the '-ish' suffix is a common verb-forming ending in english, derived from the old french infinitive ending '-iss-'. thus, the literal construction 'to make completely small' evolved into its modern abstract meanings of reducing in size, strength, or perceived importance.
Analysis
Structure: di (completely) + min (small) + ish (verb suffix)
di- (from latin 'dis-', meaning 'completely', an intensifying prefix); min (from latin 'minuere', meaning 'to make small', a root); -ish (from old french '-iss-', a verb-forming suffix).
Examples
the threat of nuclear war has diminished since the end of the cold war.
nothing could diminish her enthusiasm for the project.
the new evidence did not diminish the credibility of the witness.