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Synonyms

mini

1 American  
[min-ee] / ˈmɪn i /

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 American  

  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 British  
/ ˈmɪnɪ /

adjective

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

  2. (prenominal) small; miniature

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
mini- 2 British  

combining form

  1. smaller or shorter than the standard size

    minibus

    miniskirt
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of mini1

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

Origin of mini-2

By shortening of miniature, minimal, or minimum

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She loves mini eggs and misses treating herself to those, but she can live without a creme egg.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

On one side were the vegetables and herbs: tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, mini broccoli, chives, parsley, tarragon and chervil.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

The researchers tested the free version of ChatGPT-3.5 in 2024 and the updated ChatGPT-5 mini in 2025.

From Science Daily • Mar. 17, 2026

Gold futures rose 0.2% to $5,010.41 per ounce early Tuesday, amid a mini selloff in broader futures markets.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

“Your voice sounds like a mini horse if a mini horse could talk.”

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.