miniature

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈmɪnɪt͡ʃə/ See IPA manual

Freq #11911

Meanings

1

adj
Much smaller than the usual size.

She collects miniature furniture for her doll's house.
2

noun
A very small copy or model of something.

There was a miniature of a sailing ship inside a glass bottle.
3

noun
A small, very detailed painting, especially a portrait.

The museum displayed a delicate miniature of the young queen.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms miniatures

Derived forms minimini-miniaturisationminiaturiseminiaturismminiaturistminiaturizationminiaturize

Etymology tree Latin miniumder. Italian minio Proto-Italic *-āzi ▲ Latin -ereinflu. Latin -āre 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”).

miniatura Italian miniō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Art & Music

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# miniature

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈmɪnɪt͡ʃə/
**Frequency rank:** 11911

## Meanings
1. Much smaller than the usual size.
2. A very small copy or model of something.
3. A small, very detailed painting, especially a portrait.

## Examples
- She collects miniature furniture for her doll's house.
- There was a miniature of a sailing ship inside a glass bottle.
- The museum displayed a delicate miniature of the young queen.

## Derived Forms
- mini
- mini-
- miniaturisation
- miniaturise
- miniaturism
- miniaturist
- miniaturization
- miniaturize

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: miniatura
- Root: miniō

## Etymology
Etymology tree Latin miniumder. Italian minio Proto-Italic *-āzi ▲ Latin -ereinflu. Latin -āre 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”).

## AI Etymology
Miniature was borrowed from Italian miniatura (“manuscript illumination”), from miniare (“to illuminate”), from Latin miniō (“to colour red”), from minium (“red lead”). In present-day English its meanings include much smaller than the usual size, a very small copy or model of something, and a small, very detailed painting, especially a portrait. The historical chain runs through miniatura (Italian) and miniō (Latin). Related and derived forms include mini, mini-, and miniaturisation.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Art & Music

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miniature

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