lessening
- n a change downward
- v decrease in size, extent, or range
- v make smaller
- v wear off or die down
lesseps
- n French diplomat who supervised the construction of the Suez Canal (1805-1894)
lesser anteater
- n small toothless anteater with prehensile tail and four-clawed forelimbs; of tropical South America and Central America
lesser antilles
- n a group of islands in the southeastern West Indies
lesser burdock
- n a plant that is ubiquitous in all but very acid soil; found in most of Europe and North Africa
lesser butterfly orchid
- n south European orchid having fragrant greenish-white flowers; sometimes placed in genus Habenaria
lesser calamint
- n low-growing strongly aromatic perennial herb of southern Europe to Great Britain; naturalized in United States
lesser celandine
- n perennial herb native to Europe but naturalized elsewhere having heart-shaped leaves and yellow flowers resembling buttercups; its tuberous roots have been used as a poultice to relieve piles
lesser centaury
- n common European glabrous annual centaury with flowers in dense cymes
lesser duckweed
- n of temperate regions except eastern Asia and Australia
lesser galangal
- n Chinese perennial with pyramidal racemes of white flowers and pungent aromatic roots used medicinally and as flavoring
lesser hemlock
- n European weed naturalized in America that resembles parsley but causes nausea and poisoning when eaten
lesser knapweed
- n a weedy perennial with tough wiry stems and purple flowers; native to Europe but widely naturalized