Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A copy or model that represents or reproduces something in a greatly reduced size.
- noun Something small of its class.
- noun A small painting executed with great detail, often on a surface such as ivory or vellum.
- noun A small portrait, picture, or decorative letter on an illuminated manuscript.
- noun The art of painting miniatures.
- adjective Greatly reduced in size or scale. synonym: small.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To represent or depict on a small scale.
- noun A painting, generally a portrait, of very small dimensions, usually executed in water-colors, but sometimes in oil, on ivory, vellum, or paper of a thick and fine quality.
- noun Hence Anything represented on a greatly reduced scale.
- noun A greatly reduced scale, style, or form.
- noun Red letter; lettering in red lead or vermilion.
- noun Anything small or on a small scale.
- On a small scale; much reduced from natural size.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Being on a small scale; much reduced from the reality.
- transitive verb To represent or depict in a small compass, or on a small scale.
- noun Originally, a painting in colors such as those in mediæval manuscripts; in modern times, any very small painting, especially a portrait.
- noun Greatly diminished size or form; reduced scale.
- noun obsolete Lettering in red; rubric distinction.
- noun obsolete A particular feature or trait.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A small version of something; a
model ofreduced scale . - noun A small, highly detailed painting, a portrait miniature.
- noun The art of painting such highly detailed miniature works.
- noun An illustration in an illuminated manuscript.
- noun A
musical composition which isshort induration . - noun gaming A
token in agame representing aunit orcharacter . - adjective
Smaller thannormal .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective being on a very small scale
- noun painting or drawing included in a book (especially in illuminated medieval manuscripts)
- noun a copy that reproduces a person or thing in greatly reduced size
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Even more apocalyptic, Jessica Diamond's world map in miniature is accompanied by all block letters discouragingly asks, IS THAT ALL THERE IS?
Rebecca Taylor: Paris: A Feast of Contemporary Art? Rebecca Taylor 2010
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Even more apocalyptic, Jessica Diamond's world map in miniature is accompanied by all block letters discouragingly asks, IS THAT ALL THERE IS?
Rebecca Taylor: Paris: A Feast of Contemporary Art? Rebecca Taylor 2010
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Even more apocalyptic, Jessica Diamond's world map in miniature is accompanied by all block letters discouragingly asks, IS THAT ALL THERE IS?
Rebecca Taylor: Paris: A Feast of Contemporary Art? Rebecca Taylor 2010
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Even more apocalyptic, Jessica Diamond's world map in miniature is accompanied by all block letters discouragingly asks, IS THAT ALL THERE IS?
Rebecca Taylor: Paris: A Feast of Contemporary Art? Rebecca Taylor 2010
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Even more apocalyptic, Jessica Diamond's world map in miniature is accompanied by all block letters discouragingly asks, IS THAT ALL THERE IS?
Rebecca Taylor: Paris: A Feast of Contemporary Art? Rebecca Taylor 2010
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We follow as they re-enact the wars of the nations in miniature from the safety of their respective compounds during a placement in 70's Peking.
Le Sabotage amoureux 2007
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We follow as they re-enact the wars of the nations in miniature from the safety of their respective compounds during a placement in 70's Peking.
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We follow as they re-enact the wars of the nations in miniature from the safety of their respective compounds during a placement in 70's Peking.
Le Sabotage amoureux 2007
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The insipid fruit (Unnáb) which looks like an apple in miniature, is much used in stews, etc.
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The term miniature was applicable to more than just the building.
The Hour of the Gate Foster, Alan Dean, 1946- 1984
qroqqa commented on the word miniature
Surprising etymology: nothing to do with the Latin root for "little, less" found in minus, minor, minimum, minuscule. Rather, it comes from minium "vermilion, cinnabar; red lead", and refers to the use of vermilion to highlight letters in manuscripts (rubrication) and thus to the colouring of marginal pictures in manuscripts.
May 22, 2009
michaelt42 commented on the word miniature
The miniature edition of the BBC Radio 4 programme Broadcasting House this morning (4 December 2011) lasted 45 instead of the usual 60 minutes and contained a report of a remarkable microscopic feat, viz the engraving of a list of names on the surface of a single football boot stud, which may cause you to recall the even smaller scale used in the manufacture of silicon chips. It is believed that miniaturists like Nicholas Hillyard worked with exceedingly fine brushes and executed their work under a hand glass.
December 4, 2011
ruzuzu commented on the word miniature
Hi, michaelt42. I like your use of viz.
December 5, 2011