mini

¹

[min-ee]

noun

1. miniskirt.

2. a minicomputer.

3. anything of a small, reduced, or miniature size.

adjective

1. of the length of a miniskirt.

mini-

²

1. a combining form with the meanings “of a small or reduced size in comparison with others of its kind” (minicalculator; minicar; minigun ); “limited in scope, intensity, or duration” (miniboom; minicourse; minirecession ); (of clothing) “short, not reaching the knee” (minidress; miniskirt ).

mini

¹

/ ˈmɪnɪ /

adjective

1. (of a woman's dress, skirt, etc) very short; thigh-length

2. (prenominal) small; miniature

noun

1. something very small of its kind, esp a small car or a miniskirt

mini-

²

combining form

1. smaller or shorter than the standard size

   minibus

   miniskirt

Word History and Origins

Origin of mini¹

Independent use of mini-, or by shortening of words with mini- as initial element

Origin of mini²

By shortening of miniature, minimal, or minimum

Word History and Origins

Origin of mini¹

C20: from _miniature and _minimum

Example Sentences

Phil added that some followers may have already guessed, but making the announcement was "a big scary deal for us, it's kind of like another mini coming out".

Read more on BBC

And if you’re playing as a medical examiner, be prepared to get a glimpse at a mini puppet morgue.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Wooden benches and trees accent the terrain alongside giant Legos and mini soccer goals.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

There do appear to be growing expectations of full-size candy bars being doled out instead of the mini or “fun size” versions that were long the Halloween norm.

Read more on MarketWatch

A quick search on socials and my feed is inundated with posts from people in their late 20s, 30s, discussing different types of facelift - the mini, the ponytail, the deep plane.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• cramped 
• limited 
• meager 
• microscopic 
• miniature 
• minuscule 
• modest 
• narrow 
• paltry 
• poor 
• short 
• slight 
• small-scale 
• young 

When To Use

What does mini- mean?

Mini- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “small,” "limited," or "short." It is often used in a variety of everyday and technical terms, especially in fashion.Mini- comes from a shortening of the terms miniature, minimal, or minimum, all expressing small size or a low limit. Minimum comes from Latin minimus, meaning "smallest" or "least." Related to this root is Latin minor, meaning “smaller,” which was borrowed into English as minor, meaning “lesser in size.” Find out more at our entry for each word.