mini
noun
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mini
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mini-
mini-a combining form with the meanings “of a small or reduced size in comparison with others of its kind” (minicalculator; minicar; minigun ); “limited in scope, intensity, or duration” (miniboom; minicourse; minirecession ); (of clothing) “short, not reaching the knee” (minidress; miniskirt ).
mini
1 American
[min-ee]
/ ˈmɪn i /
mini-
2
American
mini
1
British
/ ˈmɪnɪ /
adjective
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(of a woman's dress, skirt, etc) very short; thigh-length
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(prenominal) small; miniature
noun
mini-
2
British
combining form
Usage
What does mini- mean? Mini- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “small,” "limited," or "short." It is often used in a variety of everyday and technical terms, especially in fashion. Mini- comes from a shortening of the terms miniature, minimal, or minimum, all expressing small size or a low limit. Minimum comes from Latin minimus, meaning "smallest" or "least." Related to this root is Latin minor, meaning “smaller,” which was borrowed into English as minor, meaning “lesser in size.” Find out more at our entry for each word.
Etymology
Origin of mini1
Independent use of mini-, or by shortening of words with mini- as initial element
Origin of mini-2
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.
Beyond the arcade, visitors can enjoy mini golf, karaoke, themed events and monthly performances like Queer Circus.
From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026
Once fully integrated, mini programs will be eligible for recommendation and use by Weixin AI, they say.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
"The big large monolithic model, it's $15 per million tokens, but you can get that down to like five cents if you use the smaller mini model," says Adrian Balfour of consultancy Enverso.
From Barron's • May 31, 2026
“Someone said that if the batter ever gets mad and goes up to the pitcher, that Jerry will be right behind him,” Cervantes said of his favorite social media comment about his mini companion.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
Inside, the garage looked like a mini gymnasium.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
