miniature
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Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
miniature
- /ˈmɪn.ɪ.tʃə/ Australia, UK
- /ˈmɪn.(i)ə.tʃəɹ/ US
- /ˈmɪn.(i)ə.tʃʊɹ/ US
- /ˈmɪn.ɪ.tʃəɹ/ Canada
- /ˈmɪn.(i)ə.tʃəɹ/ Canada, uncommon
Where it comes from
Etymology tree
Paleo-Hispanicbor.
Latin Minius
Proto-Indo-European *-om
Proto-Italic *-om
Latin -um
Latin minium
Italian minio
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.
Proto-Italic *-ājō
Proto-Italic *-āō
Latin -ō
Italian -are
Italian miniare
Proto-Indo-European *-tew-?
Proto-Indo-European *-r-eh₂?
Latin -tūra
Italian -tura
Italian miniaturabor.
English miniature
Borrowed from Italian miniatura (“manuscript illumination”), from miniare (“to illuminate”), from Latin miniō (“to colour red”), from minium (“red lead, minium”). Not related to minimum, minor or min (which are all from a different root, *mi-n-), though the sense development may have been influenced by association with them or sound symbolism.
noun miniatures
- Greatly diminished size or form; reduced scale.
- A small version of something; a model of reduced scale. There was a miniature of a whaling ship in a glass bottle over the mantelpiece.
- A small, highly detailed painting, a portrait miniature. The miniature was a picture of Leo's Greek mother - a lovely, dark-eyed creature.
- The art of painting such highly detailed miniature works.
- An illustration in an illuminated manuscript.
- A musical composition which is short in duration. Sacha composed a miniature for strings as a final project at the conservatory.
- A chess game which is concluded with very few moves.
- A token in a game representing a unit or character. Jack had dozens of miniatures of Napoleonic footsoldiers painted in detailed period regalia for his wargames.
- Lettering in red; rubric distinction.
- A particular feature or trait. There's no miniature / In her fair face, but is a copious theme / Which would, discoursed at large of, make a volume.
adjective more miniature · most miniature
- Smaller than normal. I find miniature dogs annoying; they seem to yap more than full-size dogs.
verb miniatures · miniaturing · miniatured
- To make smaller than normal; to reproduce in miniature. If it be ever so little removed, or seen thro’ the miniaturing End of the Perspective Glass, it either wholly escapes their Sight, or appears to them a mere Minutity.
