minuscule
Americanadjective
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very small.
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(of letters or writing) small; not capital.
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written in such letters (majuscule ).
noun
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a minuscule letter.
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a small cursive script developed in the 7th century a.d. from the uncial, which it afterward superseded.
noun
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a lower-case letter
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writing using such letters
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a small cursive 7th-century style of lettering derived from the uncial
adjective
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relating to, printed in, or written in small letters Compare majuscule
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very small
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(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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Before 2008, these balances were minuscule as banks chose to hold other safe assets to reach liquidity levels.
There isn’t an easy solution to stopping microplastics—minuscule particles from plastic products such as water bottles—from infiltrating the environment, and ultimately our bodies.
A high-powered laser pulse then inscribes these minuscule voxels into square glass plates that are roughly the size of a CD.
From Barron's
It empowers investors with even minuscule holdings to force shareholder votes on nonbinding proposals—usually on topics including corporate environmental policies, diversity initiatives, political contributions and board composition.
Despite himself, he felt a spark of sympathy for the minuscule, imperious dragon.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
