English Explanatory Dictionary

miniature

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Greatly diminished size or form; reduced scale.
  2. A small version of something; a model of reduced scale.
  3. A small, highly detailed painting, a portrait miniature.
  4. The art of painting such highly detailed miniature works.
  5. An illustration in an illuminated manuscript.
  6. A musical composition which is short in duration.
  7. A chess game which is concluded with very few moves.
  8. A token in a game representing a unit or character.
  9. Lettering in red; rubric distinction.
  10. A particular feature or trait.
adj
  1. Smaller than normal.
verb
  1. To make smaller than normal; to reproduce in miniature.

Pronunciation

mĭn′ĭchər /ˈmɪnɪt͡ʃə/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-miniature.wav /ˈmɪnɪt͡ʃəɹ/ mĭn′ē-əchər mĭn′ē-əcho͝or /ˈmɪn(i)ət͡ʃəɹ/ /ˈmɪn(i)ət͡ʃʊəɹ/ mĭn′ē-āchər /mɪnɪjetʃɜ(r)/

Word forms

miniature miniatures more miniature most miniature miniaturing miniatured

Etymology

Etymology tree Latin miniumder. Italian minio Proto-Italic *-āzi ▲ Latin -ereinflu. Latin -āre Italian -are Italian miniare Proto-Indo-European *-tew-? Proto-Indo-European *-r-eh₂? Latin -tūra Italian -tura Italian miniaturabor. English miniature Borrowed from Italian miniatura (“manuscript illumination”), from miniare (“to illuminate”), from Latin miniō (“to colour red”), from minium (“red lead”).

Derived words

eye miniature in miniature mini- mini miniaturism miniaturist miniaturization miniaturisation miniaturize miniaturise bigature microminiature microminiaturize miniac miniature donkey miniature golf miniature poodle miniature scarlet fever miniature sheet miniaturistic subminiature ultraminiature
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