miniature

American  

[min-ee-uh-cher, -choor, min-uh-cher] / ˈmɪn i ə tʃər, -ˌtʃʊər, ˈmɪn ə tʃər /

noun

1. a representation or image of something on a small or reduced scale.

2. a greatly reduced or abridged form or copy.

3. a very small painting, especially a portrait, on ivory, vellum, or the like.

4. the art of executing such a painting.

5. an illumination in an illuminated manuscript or book.

---

adjective

1. being, on, or represented on a small scale; reduced.

   Synonyms:

   minuscule, tiny, diminutive, microscopic, minute

idioms

1. in miniature, in a reduced size; on a small scale.

   The zoo exhibition offered a jungle in miniature.

miniature British  

/ ˈmɪnɪtʃə /

noun

1. a model, copy, or similar representation on a very small scale

2. anything that is very small of its kind

3. a very small painting, esp a portrait, showing fine detail on ivory or vellum

4. a very small bottle of whisky or other spirits, which can hold 50 millilitres

5. an illuminated letter or other decoration in a manuscript

6. on a small scale

   games are real life in miniature

---

adjective

1. greatly reduced in size

2. on a small scale; minute

Other Word Forms

• superminiature adjective

Etymology

Origin of miniature

1580–90; < Italian miniatura miniature painting < Medieval Latin miniātūra, equivalent to miniāt ( us ) ( miniate ) + -ūra -ure; sense development perhaps influenced by Latin base min- ( mini-, minor )

Example Sentences

Perched on the horizon, the boat appears miniature and infinitely capsizable.

From The Wall Street Journal

The retired river-fleet captain joined the class about a year ago and says he likes making miniature lighthouses because they remind him of his former life on the river.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ben Saunders and Frederick Fennessy, who have traveled roughly 7,500 miles on skis in the Arctic between them, compare designing High North technology to building a miniature space program.

From The Wall Street Journal

The diggers, up to 62-feet high, are miniature factories that can munch their way through the toughest of rocks while laying pipes, cables and cladding as they go.

From The Wall Street Journal

“He’s a really nice guy,” said executive pastry chef Ron Paprocki of his boss, while overseeing the creation of miniature desserts.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• mini
• pint-sized
• reduced
• scaled-down
• small
• small-scale
• tiny