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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
Bill Barrow,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2026
Why Utah's race matters nationally The new district is the biggest opportunity Utah Democrats have ever had for congressional representation, especially when the majority margin in Congress is minuscule.
—
Saige Miller,
NPR,
22 June 2026
The crucial still was the one generated by the World Cup’s goal-line technology, which showed that a minuscule part of the ball was not over the line.
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Tomás Hill López-Menchero,
New York Times,
22 June 2026
Legally an adult but still a teenager and finding your footing in the world, vacillating between feeling invincible and feeling minuscule.
—
Bailey Johnson,
Washington Post,
21 June 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 2 Jul. 2026.
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