303 usually denoted by the adjective small: a small glass of milk, or left unexpressed: to make a fire, or implied: a cottage. DERIVATION
Smallness may also be denoted by little, which, however, is usually affective as well: a little child. Cf. 564.1.
887. -ette forms pure diminutives denoting things, in modern words like kitchenette miniature kitchen in modern flat', COD), leaderette (`short editorial paragraph in same type as leading article'), sermonette. They are stressed on the last syllable. In those denoting persons the suffix expresses femininity: hence undergraduette (' female undergraduate', what is called a `co-ed' in America; the word is now obsolete), usherette (` girl usher at a cinema', Jespersen). The older word suffragette (pre-1914) is unique in meaning `woman who agitated for woman suffrage' (COD); in its origin it was probably facetious. In commercial use, the meaning is 'sham', 'substitute': flannelette, leatherette. Cellaret (' cabinet for wine-bottles') is stressed in the same way, in spite of its different spelling. Owlet (`young owl '), however, cablet (COD) and islet stress the first syllable (cf. -let). Other words in -et (pocket, singlet, etc.) are no longer derivatives, but simple words.
888. -iel-y is used to form pet names of persons or animals from monosyllabic proper names and class-nouns: Johnny, Annie; piggie, doggie; occasionally from adjectives: darky (= negro), deary or dearie (usu. voc.), fatty. The suffix implies affection or familiarity (COD). -ie is originally a Scottish spelling, also adopted in some of the English words. On forms like hanky, nighty, etc., see 958. 1. -ie /y is often added to shortened (and sometimes altered) proper names: Bobby (from Robert), Charley (or Charlie), Kitty (from Catherine), etc. 2. The technical term for attributive 'pet' is ' hypocoristic' (adj. and noun).
889. -kin occurs as a diminutive suffix in such words as catkin (of willow or birch), lambkin, pilchkin (see COD s.v. pilch). 890. -let is more frequently added to names of things than to names of persons. Examples of the former: booklet, eyelet (see COD),flatlet, leaflet (COD), ringlet (hair!), streamlet; a special use (not properly