[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/mini/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [M](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/m/) / mini

# mini

adjective/prefix (mini — before a noun: a mini quiz); noun (a mini, minis); proper noun (a Mini — a car)

«mini» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Mini means very small or smaller than usual: a mini pizza, a mini test. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mini/#m1)
2. As the start of a word (mini-), it means "small": minibus, minibeast, miniskirt, mini-golf. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mini/#m2)
3. A Mini is a small British car. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mini/#m3)
4. (informal) A mini is a short skirt (a miniskirt). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mini/#m4)

### In the lessons

In school, mini is everyday talk: «mini whiteboards», «a mini quiz», «minibeasts» (small creatures like woodlice and beetles in science), «a mini project». In maths, «mini» is not a measurement; it only tells you something is small. Phrases: «mini whiteboard», «minibeast hunt», «mini-golf», «mini version», «mini break».

### Examples

- Write your answer on your mini whiteboard. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mini/#x1)
- We went on a minibeast hunt and found three snails. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mini/#x2)
- The party had mini sausages and mini muffins. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mini/#x3)
- Our class went to the zoo in a minibus. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mini/#x4)
- Let's have a mini quiz before lunch. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mini/#x5)
- Grandma drove a little red Mini. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mini/#x6)
- We played mini-golf on holiday. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mini/#x7)

### Note

Often joined to the next word (minibus) or with a hyphen (mini-golf), or written separately before a noun (mini quiz). Opposite: maxi, mega, giant. «Mini» comes from «miniature». Capital M for the car brand. Not a number: «mini» does not tell you how small.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «mini» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mini/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«mini» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/mini.html) on Mova free.