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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.")
Synonyms of minuscule
Examples of minuscule in a Sentence
Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 27 May 2026
The horror pic has been in theaters for less than two weeks and has already earned north of $68 million in North America alone against a minuscule budget of $750,000.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026
The total amount is particularly shocking given the film’s comparatively minuscule $1 million budget.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 26 May 2026
Mountains appear minuscule on the horizon.
—Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for minuscule
Cite this Entry
“Minuscule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minuscule. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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