miniature

CEFRB2

/ˈmɪnɪt͡ʃə/

noun · adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A very small copy of something.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Much smaller than the real object or usual size.

Examples

  • He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.

  • The boy is his father in miniature.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5

Also pronounced

  • /ˈmɪn(i)ət͡ʃəɹ/
  • /mɪnɪjetʃɜ(r)/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A small version of something; a model of reduced scale.

  2. A small, highly detailed painting, a portrait miniature.

  3. Greatly diminished size or form; reduced scale.

More examples

In context

  • Jack had dozens of miniatures of Napoleonic footsoldiers painted in detailed period regalia for his wargames.

  • Sacha composed a miniature for strings as a final project at the conservatory.

  • There was a miniature of a whaling ship in a glass bottle over the mantelpiece.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The artist painted a blank version of the famous painting on a tiny canvas.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

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.