minimizer

English

Examples (linguistics)
  • She wouldn't say a word.
  • I don't give a crap.
  • I'm not paying him a red cent.

Etymology

From minimize +‎ -er. In the linguistics sense, coined by American linguist Dwight Bolinger in 1972.

Noun

minimizer (plural minimizers)

  1. That which minimizes.
  2. (linguistics) A word or phrase referring to a very small quantity of something, used to reinforce a negative sentence.
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