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minuscule
[ min-uh-skyool, mi-nuhs-kyool ]
/ ˈmɪn əˌskyul, mɪˈnʌs kyul /
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This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
adjective
very small.
(of letters or writing) small; not capital.
written in such letters (opposed to majuscule).
noun
a minuscule letter.
a small cursive script developed in the 7th century a.d. from the uncial, which it afterward superseded.
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Origin of minuscule
usage note for minuscule
Minuscule, from Latin minus meaning “less,” has frequently come to be spelled miniscule, perhaps under the influence of the prefix mini- in the sense “of a small size.” Although this newer spelling is criticized by many, it occurs with such frequency in edited writing that some consider it a variant spelling rather than a misspelling.
OTHER WORDS FROM minuscule
mi·nus·cu·lar, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH minuscule
minuscule , minimalWords nearby minuscule
Minucius Felix, minuend, minuet, Minuit, minus, minuscule, minus sight, minus sign, minute, minute gun, minute hand
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use minuscule in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for minuscule
minuscule
/ (ˈmɪnəˌskjuːl) /
noun
a lower-case letter
writing using such letters
a small cursive 7th-century style of lettering derived from the uncial
adjective
relating to, printed in, or written in small lettersCompare majuscule
very small
(of letters) lower-case
Derived forms of minuscule
minuscular (mɪˈnʌskjʊlə), adjectiveWord Origin for minuscule
C18: from French, from Latin (littera) minuscula very small (letter), diminutive of minor
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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