ex·ten·u·ate 
(ĭk-stĕny-āt′)
(ĭk-stĕny-āt′)tr.v. ex·ten·u·at·ed, ex·ten·u·at·ing, ex·ten·u·ates
1. To lessen or appear to lessen the seriousness or extent of (an offense, for example), especially by providing partial excuses: extenuated his crime as part of his testimony.
2. Archaic
a. To make thin or emaciated.
b. To mitigate or lessen.
c. To belittle; disparage.
[Latin extenuāre, extenuāt- : ex-, ex- + tenuāre, to make thin (from tenuis, thin; see ten- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]
ex·tenu·a′tive adj. & n.
ex·tenu·a′tor n.
ex·tenu·a·to′ry (-ə-tôr′ē) adj.
- Indo-European root: kweit-
- Indo-European root: kweiə-
- Indo-European root: kwel-
- Indo-European root: kwel-
- Indo-European root: kwen-
- Indo-European root: kwent(h)-
- Indo-European root: kwer-
- Indo-European root: kwes-
- Indo-European root: kwetwer-
- Indo-European root: kwo-
- Indo-European root: kwon-
- Indo-European root: kwrep-
- Indo-European root: kwr̥mi-
- Indo-European root: kwēt-
- Indo-European root: kā-
- Indo-European root: kō-
- Indo-European root: laks-
- Indo-European root: las-
- Indo-European root: lau-
- Indo-European root: leb-
- Indo-European root: leg-
- Indo-European root: legh-
- Indo-European root: legwh-
- Indo-European root: lei-
- Indo-European root: leid-