3. (Law) Omission, inaccuracy, or defect in a record.
4. (Mus.) In counterpoint, the imitation of, or reply to, a subject, in notes of half the length or value of
those the subject itself.
Syn. — Decrease; decay; abatement; reduction; deduction; decrement.
Diminutival
(Di*min`u*ti"val) a. Indicating diminution; diminutive. "Diminutival forms" [of words]. Earle.
— n. A diminutive. Earle.
Diminutive
(Di*min"u*tive) a. [Cf. L. deminutivus, F. diminutif.]
1. Below the average size; very small; little.
2. Expressing diminution; as, a diminutive word.
3. Tending to diminish. [R.]
Diminutive of liberty.
Shaftesbury. Diminutive
(Di*min"u*tive), n.
1. Something of very small size or value; an insignificant thing.
Such water flies, diminutives of nature.
Shak. 2. (Gram.) A derivative from a noun, denoting a small or a young object of the same kind with that
denoted by the primitive; as, gosling, eaglet, lambkin.
Babyisms and dear diminutives.
Tennyson. The word sometimes denotes a derivative verb which expresses a diminutive or petty form of the action,
as scribble.
Diminutively
(Di*min"u*tive*ly), adv. In a diminutive manner.
Diminutiveness
(Di*min"u*tive*ness), n. The quality of being diminutive; smallness; littleness; minuteness.
Dimish
(Dim"ish) a. See Dimmish.
Dimission
(Di*mis"sion) n. [L. dimissio. See Dimit, and cf. Dismission.] Leave to depart; a dismissing.
[Obs.] Barrow.
Dimissory
(Dim"is*so*ry) a. [L. dimissorius: cf. F. dimissoire. See Dimit.] Sending away; dismissing
to another jurisdiction; granting leave to depart.
Letters dimissory (Eccl.), letters given by a bishop dismissing a person who is removing into another
diocese, and recommending him for reception there. Hook.
Dimit
(Di*mit") v. t. [L. dimittere to send away, le go; di- = dis- + mittere to send. See Dismiss.] To
dismiss, let go, or release. [Obs.]
Dimity
(Dim"i*ty) n. [Prob. fr. Gr. of double thread, dimity; di- = di`s- twice + a thread of the warp; prob.
through D. diemet, of F. dimite, démitte. Cf. Samite.] A cotton fabric employed for hangings and
furniture coverings, and formerly used for women's under-garments. It is of many patterns, both plain
and twilled, and occasionally is printed in colors.
