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 (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 a small cursive script developed in the 7th century a.d. from the uncial, which it afterward superseded.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”; minus, -cule ¹

Example Sentences

Microscopic cells together form a human; minuscule atoms together form a universe.

From Los Angeles Times

The difference in quality among the crews was minuscule, with first, second and third places all separated by just one point.

From Los Angeles Times

“That actual permit from the organizer is so minuscule,” said Jared Jue, founder of MAMA’s Night Market.

From Los Angeles Times

“The amount of fish that is being harvested by Alaska fishermen is minuscule compared to the amount of wild Chinook salmon that are in the ocean,” he said.

From Seattle Times

For years, food and beverage companies and regulators have typically denounced research that raises questions about artificial sweeteners, broadly arguing that the studies were flawed or inconclusive or that the health risks were minuscule.

From New York Times

Related Words

• insignificant
• microscopic
• small
• tiny