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-let. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
-let, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
-let in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
-let you have here. The definition of the word
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-let, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From Middle English -let, -elet, from Old French -elet, a double diminutive from Old French -el + -et.
Suffix
-let
- A diminutive suffix; for example:
- booklet, a small book
- applet, a small computer application
- owlet, a small (young) owl
- piglet, a small (young) pig
- manlet, a short man
- Piece; as in a suit of armor; for example:
- bracelet, the "arm piece" or "arm protector"
- gauntlet, the "glove piece" or "glove protector"
- epaulet, the "shoulder piece" or "shoulder protector"
Usage notes
Alongside -ie / -y, -ling, and -ette, -let is one of the three most productive diminutive affixes in modern English. It is used almost exclusively with concrete nouns and (unusually for a diminutive) never with names. When used with objects, it generally denotes diminution only in size; when used with animals, it generally denotes young animals; when used with adult persons, it is generally depreciative, connoting pettiness and conveying contempt. When used to describe parts in a suit of armor and some other contexts it denotes a piece or component of the larger whole.
Derived terms
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Anagrams
Hungarian
Etymology
From -l (verb-forming suffix) + -et (noun-forming suffix), created during the Hungarian language reform, which took place in the 18th–19th centuries. The neologists popularized it based on verbs ending in -l and further derived with -at/-et.
Pronunciation
Suffix
-let
- (noun-forming suffix) Added to different parts of speech to form a noun.
- rész (“part”) + -let → részlet (“detail”)
- keres (“to search”) + -let → kereslet (“demand (in economics)”)
- egy (“one”) + -let → egylet (“society, association, club”)
Usage notes
- (noun-forming suffix) Variants:
- -lat is added to back-vowel words
- -let is added to front-vowel words
- Some nouns ending in -let do not belong in this category. The suffix -et is added after a stem-final -l, for example ötlet.
Derived terms
See also
References