minibus

American  

[min-ee-buhs] / ˈmɪn iˌbʌs /

noun

1. a small bus, seating about 15 passengers and typically transporting people short distances.

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minibus British  

/ ˈmɪnɪˌbʌs /

noun

1. a small bus able to carry approximately ten passengers

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Etymology

Origin of minibus

1840–50; mini- + bus ¹; the 19th-century word, meaning “small carriage,” perhaps mini(mum) + (omni)bus

Example Sentences

At the same time an open-top bus rolls through Birmingham with Unai Emery's Europa League-winning side on board, a minibus full of Aston Villa fans will be cruising through a village in Ghana to celebrate.

From BBC • May 21, 2026

Fabio Gutierrez, a 34-year-old minibus driver, spent over $1,000 to repair the damage caused to his engine by the substandard fuel.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

Two other pupils travelling in the minibus survived.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

A survey by the union found one in four teachers had been pressured into driving a minibus.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

This shop was out in the suburbs, too far to walk and too out-of-the-way to take a minibus.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah