miniature

American  

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

noun

miniatures plural

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.

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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

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adjective

1. greatly reduced in size

2. on a small scale; minute

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• superminiature
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• miniatures
  plural

Etymology

Origin of miniature

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

Explanation

Things that are miniature are teeny tiny versions of something else. Think miniature poodle. Unless you don't like small dogs. Then think miniature footballs. Aww, cute. When something is a miniature, it is like it has been shrunk down in size. It's not just small, it's a small replica of something else. If you made a dollhouse that was a scale representation of your own house, it would be a miniature of your home. It would also be a little weird.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

miniature miniatures

The Johns Hopkins researchers studied miniature models of the hindbrain, a region at the back of the skull that helps control essential functions such as breathing, sleep and heart rate.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026

One of the models resembles a miniature tablet when unfolded.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

And, if you’re feeling playful, a whimsical bread: miniature muffins, pesto pull-apart bread, chickpea flour flatbreads, cheese straws, popovers — something that makes people point across the table and say, “Wait, what are those?”

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026

One particularly moving display by the Pali-Altadena Collective featured participants carrying miniature models of buildings and landmarks lost in the 2025 fires.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 21, 2026

It was also their nests, made of glistening bubbles that absorbed sunlight and glowed all night, as if hundreds of miniature rainbows had gathered for a party.

From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate

Voicemails From Gran’pa,” Caballero has used miniatures to immortalize his loved ones.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026

Many more eccentric characters appear, such as Tristram’s Uncle Toby, a wounded veteran who loses himself by re-creating former battles with miniatures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026

The two accompanied one another as they walked through bookcases filled with leather-bound volumes, before inspecting some of the miniatures made especially for the world's largest dollhouse.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2025

Thanks to a melange of practical effects, matte paintings, miniatures, models and costly, groundbreaking special effects, Donner achieved a superhero movie that looks unlike anything made in the decades since.

From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2025

Dabbing at my eyes, I wandered around the office and finally found myself in front of one of the Mughal miniatures.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

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