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Minuscule comes from the Latin adjective minusculus ("somewhat smaller" or "fairly small"), which in turn pairs the base of minus ("smaller") with -culus, a diminutive suffix (that is, one indicating small size). The minuscule spelling is consistent with the word’s etymology, but that didn’t stop English speakers from adopting the variant spelling miniscule, likely because they associated it with the combining form mini- and such words as minimal and minimum. Usage commentators generally consider the miniscule spelling an error, but it is widely used in reputable and carefully edited publications, and is accepted as a legitimate variant in some dictionaries. (Our own dictionary identifies miniscule as a "disputed spelling variant.")
Examples of minuscule in a Sentence
Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 2 Mar. 2025
That said, a minuscule amount of product truly goes such a long way.
—Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 28 Feb. 2025
Boasting almost one million views, the slideshow shows the minuscule pup during his time at the shelter: dressed in brightly-colored sweaters, resting on colorful, warm blankets, and surrounded by toys—many of them bigger than him.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
But the fact is that USAID funding for Latin America’s pro-democracy groups has been minuscule compared to what Venezuela, Cuba, Russia and Iran spend on foreign aid and political propaganda in the region.
—Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Minuscule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minuscule. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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