Augmentatives and diminutives

Nouns can be used in augmentatives and diminutives because they accept inflection in degree, and can be referred to in three different sizes: normal, diminutive and augmentative.

The normal degree of the noun indicates the normal size of an object or being.
The diminutive degree of the noun indicates the diminished size of an object or being.
The augmentative degree of the noun indicates the increased size of an object or being.

List with augmentatives and diminutives

normal degree	diminutive degree	augmentative degree
bee	bee, bee, bee	bumblebee
friend	little friend	friend, friend, friend
animal	animal, animal, animal	animal, animal
wing	alula, wing, wing	asona
bird	poultry, little bird	avejão
bullet	candy	bullet, bullet
beard	beard, beard, beard	beard
barge	nacelle	barge
tent	tent, tent	shed
noise	noise, noise	noise, noise
lip	pout	smack, smack
animal	pet	bug, bug
moustache	mustache, mustache	mustache, mustache
mouth	mouth, mouth	mouth, mouth, mouth
head	little head, little head	big head, big head
box	box, box, box, box	coffin
mug	mug	mug
dog	little dog, little dog, little dog, little dog	canzarrão, canaz
face	little face	face, face, face
House	hut, little house	big house
hat	hat, hat, hat, hat	big hat
rain	drizzle, drizzle, drizzle	shower
to harvest	spoon, spoon	spoonful
glass	cup	cup, cup, cup
string	string, string	cord
body	corpuscle	body, body
child	little child	big child
finger	little finger	thumb
tooth	tooth, tooth	dentola, dentition, dent, dentition
do	knife	knife, machete, machete
fever	fever	fever
party	little party	party, party
flower	floret, floret, floret, floret	flower zone
fire	little fire	bonfire
cat	kitten	cat, cat, cat, cat
man	little man, little man, homunculus, little man	big man
newspaper	newsboy	newspaper
pencil	little pencil	lapsion
book	booklet, booklet, booklet, booklet, booklet	book, bookshop
Wolf	wolf, wolf, wolf	wolf, wolf
monkey	monkey, monkey	overalls
suitcase	suitcase, briefcase, pouch	trunk
hand	little hand	handle, handle, handle, handle
girl	young lady, young lady	mocetone
boy	young man, young man	young man
mount	mound, mound	mountain
woman	little woman, little woman	woman, woman, woman
wall	short wall	wall
nose	little nose, little nose	nose, nose, nose, nose
paper	paper, paper, paper, paper	cardboard
paw	paw	pathor
foot	little foot, little foot	big Foot
stone	gravel	Boulder
door	hatch, hatch	gate
boy	boy, boy, boy, boy, boy	big boy
rock	little rock	rock
living room	room, room, room	Hall
scissors	earwig	scythe
glass	bottle	windowpane
voice	little voice, little voice	voicer, voicer

Augmentative and diminutive formation process

Nouns in the augmentative and diminutive grades are formed, mainly, by joining augmentative and diminutive suffixes to a word in the normal grade: nose – nose – narigão.

They can also be formed by joining adjectives that indicate increase or decrease: nose – big nose – small nose.

Augmentative and diminutive adjectives

Augmentative adjectives	diminutive adjectives
huge enormous immense colossal gigantic enormous enormous huge immense vast	small tiny tiny tiny tiny diminutive small insignificant reduced

Other examples of diminutive nouns

• village: hamlet, hamlet
• tree: arbuscule, tree, little tree
• flag: flag, flag
• barrel: barrel, barrel
• truck: pickup truck
• belt: scintillation
• cross: cross
• devil: imp
• sword: sword
• statue: figurine
• lighthouse: lighthouse, lighthouse
• farm: farm, farm
• son: little boy
• ribbon: ribbon
• leaf: leaflet, leaflet
• chicken: chicken
• rooster: galispo
• globe: globule
• drop: droplet
• grain: granule
• island: islet, islet
• indio: indiozinho, indiozito
• newspaper: newspaper
• slab: slab
• tongue: tongue
• dating: flirt
• node: nodule
• nucleus: nucleolus
• egg: egg, egg
• palace: mansion
• part: particle
• skin: film
• poem: poem
• portion: porziuncula
• question: spat
• root: radicle, radicle
• network: reticle
• king: ruler, little king
• river: brook, rivulet, rivulet
• street: alley
• bag: saquitel, sachet