miniature

American  

[min-ee-uh-cher, -choor, min-uh-cher] / ˈmɪn i ə tʃər, -ˌtʃʊər, ˈmɪn ə tʃər /

noun

1. a representation or image of something on a small or reduced scale.

2. a greatly reduced or abridged form or copy.

3. a very small painting, especially a portrait, on ivory, vellum, or the like.

4. the art of executing such a painting.

5. an illumination in an illuminated manuscript or book.

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adjective

1. being, on, or represented on a small scale; reduced.

   Synonyms:

   minuscule, tiny, diminutive, microscopic, minute

idioms

1. in miniature, in a reduced size; on a small scale.

   The zoo exhibition offered a jungle in miniature.

miniature British  

/ ˈmɪnɪtʃə /

noun

1. a model, copy, or similar representation on a very small scale

2. anything that is very small of its kind

3. a very small painting, esp a portrait, showing fine detail on ivory or vellum

4. a very small bottle of whisky or other spirits, which can hold 50 millilitres

5. an illuminated letter or other decoration in a manuscript

6. on a small scale

   games are real life in miniature

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adjective

1. greatly reduced in size

2. on a small scale; minute

Other Word Forms

• superminiature adjective

Etymology

Origin of miniature

1580–90; < Italian miniatura miniature painting < Medieval Latin miniātūra, equivalent to miniāt ( us ) ( miniate ) + -ūra -ure; sense development perhaps influenced by Latin base min- ( mini-, minor )

Example Sentences

In brain organoids, which are miniature three dimensional models of brain tissue, sildenafil promoted nerve cell growth.

From Science Daily

He has written about them three decades later and, at only 150 pages, “A Scandal in Königsberg” is a book of miniature perfection.

From The Wall Street Journal

Inside these structures, tiny magnetic moments, which behave like miniature compass needles, align in circular patterns.

From Science Daily

For as long as I could recall, this space had been divided into four truly miniature rooms.

From Literature

And when they soared over the miniature version of London on the ride, he remembered his father leaning in and saying, “See, I told you. It feels like we’re flying!”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• mini
• pint-sized
• reduced
• scaled-down
• small
• small-scale
• tiny