Diminution

n.	1.	The act of diminishing, or of making or becoming less; state of being diminished; reduction in size, quantity, or degree; - opposed to augmentation or increase.
	2.	The act of lessening dignity or consideration, or the state of being deprived of dignity; a lowering in estimation; degradation; abasement. The world's opinion or diminution of me. - Eikon Basilike. Nor thinks it diminution to be ranked In military honor next. - Philips.
	3.	(Law) Omission, inaccuracy, or defect in a record.
	4.	(Mus.) In counterpoint, the imitation of, or reply to, a subject, in notes of half the length or value of those the subject itself.

Noun	1.	diminution - change toward something smaller or lower Synonyms: decline
	2.	diminution - the statement of a theme in notes of lesser duration (usually half the length of the original) Antonyms: augmentation - the statement of a theme in notes of greater duration (usually twice the length of the original)
	3.	diminution - the act of decreasing or reducing something Synonyms: reduction, step-down, decrease

abatement, abridgment, allayment, alleviation, analgesia, anesthesia, anesthetizing, appeasement, assuagement, attenuation, attrition, blunting, calming, concavity, contraction, curtailment, cut, cutting, dampening, damping, de-escalation, deadening, debasement, decrease, decrement, decrescence, deduction, deflation, degradation, demotion, demulsion, depletion, depreciation, depression, derogation, descent, detraction, detrusion, diminishment, dip, disparagement, ducking, dulcification, dulling, dying, dying off, ease, easement, easing, extenuation, extraction, fade-out, falling-off, hauling down, hollowness, hushing, impairment, languishment, leniency, lessening, letdown, letup, lightening, loosening, lowering, lulling, miniaturization, mitigation, modulation, mollification, numbing, pacification, palliation, quietening, quieting, reduction, relaxation, relief, remedy, remission, retraction, retrenchment, sagging, salving, scaling down, shortening, shrinkage, simplicity, sinking, slackening, softening, soothing, subduement, submergence, subtraction, tempering, thrusting under, tranquilization, truncation, weakening