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.

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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

• superminiature
  adjective

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

Cataloging what I have — and tossing anything expired, dubious or otherwise a little grim — feels like a miniature form of spring cleaning.

From Salon • May 12, 2026

A console features a Daruma doll, a miniature vintage sports car and a tiny replica of Perry holding her child, Rhodes.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

But we shouldn’t pretend that every whiplash claim is a miniature trial in waiting.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

The royal visitors had tea in the Green Room and were brought into the garden to see a newly-expanded beehive, rebuilt in the shape of a miniature White House.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

And yet atoms can be affected by things on their own miniature scale, things so small that they are invisible to us.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Related Words

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