/belittle-meaning

/belittle-meaning-etymology

-) Verb.

-) Pronunciation and accent: bɪlɪt(ə)l or (American) bɪlɪd(ə)l.

-) Etymology: it is analysed into be- (prefix) + “little”.

-) It is dated from 1700.

-) Transitive: -) 1. (Scarcely documented) to make little or small in size, or to appear so; to diminish. 

-) 2. To treat, speak of, or think of (someone or something) contemptuously; to represent as of less value.

-) Synonyms for “belittle”: to depreciate, underrate, undervalue.

-) Antonyms of “belittle”: to overvalue, exaggerate, over-estimate (a thing); extol, enhance, exalt (a person).

-) Translation: déprécier, in French; menospreciar, in Spanish; sminuire, in Italian.

But why should she want to belittle a young girl like Rachel Ray,--a girl that her own daughters call their friend? I'll tell you why, mother. Because Rachel Ray was admired and they were not.

A. Trollope… Rachel Ray… 1863

His only relief was to belittle the importance of his loss.

H. Wilson… The Spenders… 1902

… in truth, I was more concerned with the comparison of myself to a restaurateur of the crude new city of New York, which might belittle rather than distinguish me, I suspected.

H. Wilson… Ruggles… 1915

… if they had been at all inclined to belittle the danger of their position, were made to realize it when thirty or more Navajos came flocking in from all quarters.

Bower… The Heritage… 1916

You sure enough belittle me, if you think you'd have a chance in a million of getting away from me!"

Bower… The Quirt… 1920

-) Words derived from the verb “belittle”: beˈlittling, beˈlittlement, belittler.