To reduce the magnification of something, making it appear smaller or less enlarged than before.
From de- (reverse, reduce) + magnify (make larger). Magnify comes from Latin 'magnus' (great) through Old French. The demagnify form is less common than demagnification but follows standard English word-building patterns with the de- prefix.
While 'magnify' gets all the attention in everyday speech, 'demagnify' is just as important in optical science—telescopes and microscopes need to smoothly transition between magnifications, and demagnifying allows scientists to zoom out precisely. It's basically the 'zoom out' button of the optical world!
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