Diminutives and augmentatives are ways to change the meaning of a word to express smallness or largeness. English often uses special suffixes or other words to show these ideas, especially for nouns.
- Diminutives make something seem smaller, cuter, or less important.
- Augmentatives make something seem bigger, more powerful, or more intense.
- English uses a few fixed suffixes and some separate words to create these forms.
- Not all nouns can take diminutive or augmentative forms.
Let’s look at the rules and examples for each.
Rules for Diminutives
Diminutives express smallness, affection, or a lighter tone. In English, you can use suffixes like -let, -ette, -ling, or add words like “little” or “tiny.”
Common English Diminutive Suffixes
| Suffix | Formation Example | Meaning Example |
|---|---|---|
| -let | leaf → leaflet | small leaf |
| -ette | kitchen → kitchenette | small kitchen |
| -ling | duck → duckling | small or young duck |
Note:* These suffixes are more common in written or formal English, and some come from French or Latin.
Using “Little” or “Tiny”
You can also use “little” or “tiny” before a noun to make it seem smaller or more endearing.
- little dog
- tiny chair
Rules for Augmentatives
Augmentatives express largeness, intensity, or importance. English mostly uses separate words like “big,” “large,” “great,” or informal/slang terms like “grand-” or “mega-.”
Common English Augmentative Prefixes and Words
| Word | Usage Example | Meaning Example |
|---|---|---|
| big | big house | large house |
| large | large problem | serious/big problem |
| great | great man | important man |
| grand | grandmaster | distinguished master |
| mega- | megastar | very famous star |
Note:* English does not have many true augmentative suffixes. Instead, it relies on separate words or prefixes (often from Greek or Latin roots).
Summary Table
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| leaflet | small leaf | small version of “leaf” |
| duckling | young duck | small/young duck |
| kitchenette | small kitchen | smaller makeup for “kitchen” |
| little dog | little dog | small or cute dog |
| big house | big house | large house |
| megastar | megastar | very famous star |
English forms diminutives mainly through suffixes like -let, -ette, and -ling or by simply adding “little” or “tiny” before a noun. Augmentatives are usually created by adding words like “big,” “grand,” or prefixes like “mega-” — English does not commonly add ending suffixes for large or grand meanings.
That’s the core picture! You can refer back to this page for these common rules and examples, and compare to other languages if you want to see how English handles size and intensity changes.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
