Diminucioun

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An archaic spelling for the act or process of becoming smaller, fewer, or weaker in size, amount, or intensity
2. The reduction of something in size, quantity, or strength, as seen in Middle English writing
3. A gradual lessening or shrinking of a thing's extent, number, or force over a period of time

Etymology: Its Latin ancestor, "diminuere," originally meant to break something into small pieces. It combined "dis-" (apart) with "minuere" (to make small), so the sense of shrinking grew out of an image of shattering. The noun "diminutio" passed through Old French as "diminution," and English borrowed it. Middle English writers spelled it "diminucioun," reflecting its Anglo-Norman route. The same Latin root sits behind "minor" and "minus," which is why the word's core idea of smallness runs through a whole family of English words.