minimal pair

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noun Linguistics.

a pair of words, as pin and bin, or bet and bed, differing only by one sound in the same position in each word, especially when such a pair is taken as evidence for the existence of a phonemic contrast between the two sounds.

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Origin of minimal pair

First recorded in 1940–45

Words nearby minimal pair

minimalism, minimalist, minimalistic, minimalize, minimally invasive, minimal pair, minimarket, minimart, minimax, Mini-Me, minimill

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use minimal pair in a sentence

Oh, and the first press image they released was a pair of black dudes in tracksuits as a troll of sorts to NME.
The 14 Best Songs of 2014: Bobby Shmurda, Future Islands, Drake, and More|Marlow Stern|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It will still carry a pair of Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM long-range air-to-air missiles and a pair of bombs.
New U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019|Dave Majumdar|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Gurley was gunned down on Nov. 20, when a pair of cops was patrolling the rough housing project.
Protesters Demand Justice For Gurley As Gap Grows Between Cops and NYC|M.L. Nestel|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The sport of surfing is a very sexy sport, beautiful people on beautiful beaches in minimal clothing.
Anastasia Ashley, Surfer-Cum-Model, Rides The Viral Internet Wave|James Joiner|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST

One of them had not been given time to get dressed; he was perp-walked wearing only a pair of boxers.
Bobby Shmurda and Rap’s Ultimate Hoop Dream|Rawiya Kameir|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He stood, with the air of a hero, both arms extended towards the amazed pair of lovers.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
Under the long lashes of low lids a pair of eyes black and insolent set off the haughty lines of her scarlet lips.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
Here the pair reached the "Dun Cow" and retired to their respective quarters.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
Since words have different meanings, we may sometimes find that a pair of words exemplify all three Laws, as plough and sword.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
The opposite of these two methods of rote learning is my method, which injects an active process between each pair of words.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)

British Dictionary definitions for minimal pair

minimal pair

noun

linguistics a pair of speech elements in a given language differing in only one respect and thus serving to identify minimum units such as phonemes, morphemes, etc. For example, tin and din constitute a minimal pair in English

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