minuscule

American  

[min-uh-skyool, mi-nuhs-kyool] / ˈmɪn əˌskyul, mɪˈnʌs kyul /

adjective

1. very small.

2. (of letters or writing) small; not capital.

3. written in such letters (opposed to majuscule).

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noun

1. a minuscule letter.

2. a small cursive script developed in the 7th century a.d. from the uncial, which it afterward superseded.

minuscule British  

/ mɪˈnʌskjʊlə, ˈmɪnəˌskjuːl /

noun

1. a lower-case letter

2. writing using such letters

3. a small cursive 7th-century style of lettering derived from the uncial

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adjective

1. relating to, printed in, or written in small letters Compare majuscule

2. very small

3. (of letters) lower-case

Spelling

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 Word Forms

• minuscular
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of minuscule

First recorded in 1695–1705; from Latin minusculus “smallish, pretty small, minor”; see minus, -cule ¹

Explanation

When something is teeny tiny, it is minuscule. If your mother calls your miniskirt minuscule, it probably means she wants you to change into something a bit less revealing. In minuscule, you see the word, minus, which means lesser. The word minuscule has its roots in the Latin expression minuscula littera, a phrase used to describe the smaller letters in text. In the late 1800s, the use of the word expanded to mean very small in general — so the definition of minuscule became less minuscule.

Example Sentences

Minuscule ocean phytoplankton, says University of Utah atmospheric scientist Gerald Mace, the study's lead author.

From Scientific American • May 29, 2023

Minuscule numbers of migrants who enter the country test positive for the coronavirus.

From Washington Post • Nov. 17, 2022

Minuscule in mass but colossal in charm, Marcel, a one-eyed mollusk with a pair of pink sneakers attached to his exoskeleton, became an online sensation in late 2010.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2022

Minuscule grosses aside, O'Brien might consider losing the beard and the grudge, and return to being funny-silly-smart.

From Time • Jun. 26, 2011

Majuscule, mā-jus′kūl, n. in paleography, a capital or uncial letter:—opp. to Minuscule.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

Related Words

• insignificant
• microscopic
• small
• tiny