diminutive words in english
A diminutive is a word form or suffix that indicates smallness. Also called hypocoristic. In his Dictionary of English Grammar (2000), R.L. Trask points out that the English language usually forms diminutives by suffixing -y or -ie, often to a reduced form of the source word, as in hanky for a handkerchief, doggie for dog and Tommie for Thomas. But we also use -ette, as in statuette and kitchenette..