miniature

¹min·i·a·ture

noun
\ˈmi-nē-ə-ˌchu̇r, ˈmi-ni-ˌchu̇r, ˈmin-yə-, -chər, -ˌtyu̇r, -ˌtu̇r\

Definition of MINIATURE

1

a : a copy on a much reduced scale b : something small of its kind

2

: a painting in an illuminated book or manuscript

3

: the art of painting miniatures

4

: a very small portrait or other painting (as on ivory or metal)

— min·i·a·tur·ist \-ˌchu̇r-ist, -chər-, -ˌtyu̇r-, -ˌtu̇r-\ noun

— min·i·a·tur·is·tic \ˌmi-nē-ə-chə-ˈris-tik, ˌmi-ni-, ˌmin-yə-, -ˌtyu̇-, -ˌtu̇-\ adjective

— in miniature

: in a greatly diminished size, form, or scale

Examples of MINIATURE

1. <a diorama filled with miniatures of town buildings as they looked in the 19th century>

Origin of MINIATURE

Italian miniatura art of illuminating a manuscript, from Medieval Latin, from Latin miniatus, past participle of miniare to color with minium, from minium red lead

First Known Use: circa 1586

Related to MINIATURE

Synonyms: model

Related Words: carbon, carbon copy, clone, copy, dummy, dupe, duplicate, duplication, facsimile, imitation, mock, reduplication, replica, replication, reproduction; dwarf, midget, mini, pocket edition, pygmy (also pigmy)

Near Antonyms: archetype, original, prototype; blowup, enlargement

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Rhymes with MINIATURE

candidature, caricature, discomfiture, distemperature, divestiture, entablature, entrepreneur, expenditure, imprimatur, investiture, literature, musculature, nomenclature, non sequitur