belittle

Definition

To knowingly say that something is smaller or less important than it actually is, especially as a way of showing contempt or deprecation.

Etymology

From be- + little. Coined by Thomas Jefferson in 1782

Example Sentences

• "Don't belittle your colleagues."
• "An essential part of any German campaign is obviously the efficiency of its lines of communication and therefore it is dangerous to belittle our enemy's strength in this direction."
• "Under the rules as understood by the New York Times, the West is free to mock and belittle its Judeo-Christian inheritance, and, likewise, the Muslim world is free to mock and belittle the West's Judeo-Christian inheritance."