miniseries

American  

[min-ee-seer-eez] / ˈmɪn iˌsɪər iz /

noun

plural

miniseries

1. a short series of events or presentations.

2. Television. a program or film broadcast in parts, as the dramatization of a literary work.

   The novel was made into a four-part miniseries.

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miniseries British  

/ ˈmɪnɪˌsɪəriːz /

noun

1. a television programme in several parts that is shown on consecutive days or weeks for a short period

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Etymology

Origin of miniseries

First recorded in 1970–75; mini- + series

Example Sentences

Kaczmarek and Cranston as Lois and Hal in a scene from “Life’s Still Unfair,” the miniseries revival.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

That excitement is because it is one of those titles that quietly shaped every period drama and miniseries that came after it.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

He will be in the eight-episode “Carrie” miniseries — yes, that Carrie — developed by filmmaker Mike Flanagan for Amazon MGM Studios.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

The making of the film was famously difficult—as dramatized in the 2022 Paramount+ miniseries, “The Offer”—but Duvall and his colleagues found ways to lift spirits on set, even if it meant dropping their pants.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

I didn’t really understand The Occupation because it didn’t seem like the kind of War we all knew and loved from your average made-for-TV miniseries.

From "How I Live Now" by Meg Rosoff