diminution
noun
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In his late 14th century tragic poem Troilus and Criseyde, Geoffrey Chaucer employed the word diminution, contrasting the verb encrece (“increase”) with the phrase “maken dyminucion” (“make diminution”). Like many words Chaucer used, diminution came to English from Anglo-French, and ultimately from the Latin word deminuere, meaning “to diminish,” which is also an ancestor of the English verb diminish. That word entered the language in the 15th century, and the related noun diminishment, a synonym of diminution, was adopted in the 16th century.
Examples of diminution in a Sentence
Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2025
But rather than Xi’s diminution, the recent moves more likely reflect Xi’s continued dominance of the military.
—Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025
Between the diminution of the room and the presence of the attendees, and the ability to interact with objects in a 3D space, the result is one of being there in the same moment, engaging with the same things.
—Ray Ravaglia, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
There are many worthwhile ways to write about the arts, but her sniping at reviews suggests a faux expansion that would actually be a grave diminution.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for diminution
Cite this Entry
“Diminution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diminution. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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diminution
noun
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diminution
noun
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