Added 9 October 2026
miniature
/ˈmɪn.ɪ.tʃə/ noun
Latin root: miniō Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about miniature at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Painting or drawing included in a book (especially in illuminated medieval manuscripts).
- A copy that reproduces a person or thing in greatly reduced size.
adjective
Origin
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.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)