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minibus

American

[min-ee-buhs] / ˈmɪn iˌbʌs /

noun

a small bus, seating about 15 passengers and typically transporting people short distances.

minibus British

/ ˈmɪnɪˌbʌs /

noun

a small bus able to carry approximately ten passengers

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of minibus

1840–50; mini- + bus ¹; the 19th-century word, meaning “small carriage,” perhaps mini(mum) + (omni)bus

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.

A survey by the union found one in four teachers had been pressured into driving a minibus.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

A minute's silence was observed before kick-off in memory of the seven Greek fans killed in a minibus accident in Romania.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

A minute's silence was observed before kick-off in memory of the seven Greek fans killed in a minibus accident in Romania on Tuesday.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

The minibus driver was "reportedly" being treated in hospital, Gauteng province's department of education said, while the details of what happened to the lorry driver were "uncertain".

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026

Once you go past the minibus rank, you’re in Alex proper.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023