vermindert

Vermindert is a term used in German and Dutch with several related meanings centered on the idea of decrease or reduction. In general language, it functions as an adjective or past participle form derived from the verb vermindern (to reduce). It describes something that has been lowered in amount, degree, intensity, or frequency, for example verminderte Kosten (reduced costs) or een verminderde aanwezigheid (a diminished presence). In Dutch, vermindert is the present tense form of verminderen (to reduce), and verminderd is the past participle; the word thus appears in everyday usage to indicate ongoing or completed reduction.

In music theory, vermindert is a technical term used in German-language notation to denote diminished intervals and chords. A diminished interval is one semitone smaller than its corresponding minor or major form, and a diminished triad consists of two stacked minor thirds, such as C–Eb–Gb. A diminished seventh chord, often described in German as a verminderter Septakkord, is built from a root, a minor third, a diminished fifth, and a diminished seventh. The term emphasizes the altered, more tense characteristic of these sounds compared with their major, minor, or augmented counterparts.

Cross-linguistic use shows that while the core idea—reduction—remains constant, the precise grammatical role and musical application differ between German and Dutch. In both languages, vermindert or its forms convey decreased quantity or quality, with a specialized musical meaning in German-language theory literature.