diminuto
Lemma Details
Translation: tiny; minute; diminutive; very small
Part of Speech: adjective
Etymology: Derived from Latin 'diminutus', the past participle of 'diminuere' meaning 'to lessen' or 'to diminish'. This shares the same Latin root as the English words 'diminish', 'diminutive', and 'dimension'. The Latin prefix 'di-' (meaning 'apart' or 'away') combined with 'minuere' (to lessen) creates the sense of reducing something from its original size.
Commonality: 60%
Guessability: 80%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
El insecto era tan diminuto que apenas se podía ver.
The insect was so tiny that it could barely be seen.
Vive en un apartamento diminuto en el centro de la ciudad.
He lives in a tiny apartment in the city center.
Solo quedaba una diminuta esperanza de encontrarlo con vida.
There was only a tiny hope of finding him alive.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'diminish' in English - something diminuto has been 'diminished' to a very small size.
- The 'min' in diminuto relates to 'minimal' or 'minimum' - the smallest possible.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish, 'diminuto' is often used in literature and poetry to emphasize extreme smallness. It's slightly more formal or literary than the more common 'pequeño' (small).
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While both mean 'small', 'diminuto' emphasizes extreme smallness (tiny, minute), whereas 'pequeño' is the general word for 'small' without such emphasis.
Notes: 'Diminuto' is often used for dramatic effect or to emphasize extraordinary smallness, while 'pequeño' is more neutral and common in everyday speech.
Mnemonic: 'Diminuto' has 'min' like 'minimum' - the absolute smallest; 'pequeño' is just generally small.
Explanation: 'Diminuto' is an adjective meaning 'tiny', while 'diminutivo' is a noun referring to the grammatical diminutive form or can be an adjective meaning 'diminutive'.
Confused word:
En español, '-ito' es un sufijo diminutivo muy común.
In Spanish, '-ito' is a very common diminutive suffix.
Notes: Both words share the same Latin root but serve different grammatical functions.
Mnemonic: 'Diminuto' describes something tiny; 'diminutivo' is about the linguistic concept of making words sound smaller or cuter.