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Belittlement: meaning, definitions and examples

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belittlement

 

[ bɪˈlɪtəmlənt ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

insulting behavior

Belittlement refers to the act of making someone or something seem less impressive or important. This behavior can manifest in various forms, including verbal insults, dismissive remarks, or condescending attitudes. It's a means of undermining someone's self-worth or significance in a given context.

Synonyms

deprecation, derision, dismissal, disparagement.

Examples of usage

  • His constant belittlement of her efforts severely impacted her confidence.
  • The belittlement from her peers left her feeling isolated and undervalued.
  • In the meeting, his belittlement of the new proposal frustrated the team.
  • Belittlement can have lasting effects on a person's mental health.

Translations

Translations of the word "belittlement" in other languages:

🇵🇹 desvalorização

🇮🇳 अवमूल्यन

🇩🇪 Herabsetzung

🇮🇩 pengecilan

🇺🇦 приниження

🇵🇱 dewaluacja

🇯🇵 軽視

🇫🇷 dévaluation

🇪🇸 devaluación

🇹🇷 küçümseme

🇰🇷 하찮게 여김

🇸🇦 تقليل من القيمة

🇨🇿 znehodnocení

🇸🇰 devalvácia

🇨🇳 贬值

🇸🇮 devalvacija

🇮🇸 niðurlæging

🇰🇿 бағасыздандыру

🇬🇪 დაფასების დაკლება

🇦🇿 dəyərsizləşdirmə

🇲🇽 devaluación

Etymology

The word 'belittlement' is derived from the base verb 'belittle', which first appeared in English around the late 17th century. The verb combines the prefix 'be-' meaning 'to make or cause to be' and the word 'little', implying making something smaller or lesser. 'Belittle' was likely influenced by other similar constructions in English that form verbs with the 'be-' prefix. The suffix '-ment' is added to create a noun that denotes the action or result of belittling. Over time, 'belittlement' has come to be understood not just as a description of an action, but also as a reflection of social dynamics where power imbalances and hierarchies are in play, highlighting the psychological and emotional impacts that such behavior can have on individuals.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #40,178, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.