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. |
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