minivan

American

[min-ee-van] / ˈmɪn iˌvæn /

Or mini-van

noun

a small passenger van, somewhat larger than a station wagon, typically with side or rear windows and rear seats that can be removed for hauling small loads.

minivan British

/ ˈmɪnɪˌvæn /

noun

a small van, esp one with seats in the back for carrying passengers

"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

Etymology

Origin of minivan

mini- + van ²

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Duffys are not ordinary Americans piling into a minivan for a modest summer vacation.

From Salon • May 18, 2026

"It is not nice; we don't want to pay more for gas," acknowledged the cameraman as he got his credit card ready to fill up his minivan.

From Barron's • May 2, 2026

The brand that invented the minivan in the 1980s, and with it a style that became shorthand for American suburban family life, is fighting for survival.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

She pinned high hopes on the new Pacifica minivan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Manang Maribel pulls up in the Filipino-Mobile, a minivan with a slew of metallic Manila stickers Uncle Jon-Jon slapped across the bumper.

From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023