minuscule

1 of 2

adjective

mi·​nus·​cule ˈmi-nə-ˌskyül 

 also  mi-ˈnə-

1

: very small

minuscule amounts

2

: written in or in the size or style of minuscules

minuscule

2 of 2

noun

1

: a lowercase letter

2

a

: one of several ancient and medieval writing styles developed from cursive and having simplified and small forms

b

: a letter in this style

Did you know?

Minuscule derives from the Latin adjective minusculus, which means "rather small." The minuscule spelling is consistent with the word's etymology, but since the 19th century, people have also been spelling it miniscule, perhaps because they associate it with the combining form mini- and words such as minimal and minimum. Usage commentators generally consider the miniscule spelling an error, but it is widely used in reputable and carefully edited publications and is accepted as a legitimate variant in some dictionaries.

Synonyms

Adjective

• atomic
• bitsy
• bitty
• infinitesimal
• itty-bitty
• itsy-bitsy
• little bitty
• microminiature
• microscopic
• microscopical
• miniature
• minute
• teensy
• teensy-weensy
• teeny
• teeny-weeny
• tiny
• wee
• weeny
• weensy

Examples of minuscule in a Sentence

Adjective

public health officials have claimed that the chemical is harmless in such minuscule amounts

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As of Thursday, her edge sat at 1.7 points, a cumulative drop that may appear numerically minuscule but was enough to send some party members and operatives into a tailspin. —Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2024

Its minuscule volume, however, would at least prevent you from getting sucked in. —Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 24 Sep. 2024

Noun

There's beauty in the minuscule and mighty alike in Namibia — a photographer's paradise, even for amateurs. —Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 2023

New quote-tweets started to pour in, each one putting me in front of another audience of followers, some minuscule and others quite large. —Willy Staley, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from French & New Latin; French, "lower case (of a letter)," borrowed from New Latin minusculus, going back to Latin, "somewhat smaller, fairly small," from the base of minor, minus "smaller" (comparative of parvus "small") + -culus, diminutive suffix — more at minor entry 1

Noun

borrowed from French & New Latin; French, borrowed from New Latin minuscula (short for littera minuscula "smaller letter"), from feminine of Latin minusculus "somewhat smaller" — more at minuscule entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1703, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1701, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

minuscule

adjective

mi·​nus·​cule

ˈmi-nəs-ˌkyül

: very small

minuscule amounts