miniature

Pluralminiatures

Formsminiatures, miniaturing, miniatured

1. 1
   adjective

   Smaller than the usual size of something of its kind.

   My aunt has a miniature horse that is no taller than a large dog.

   The hotel left miniature bottles of shampoo next to the sink.

   Similarsmall, tiny, minute, diminutive

   Oppositegiant, full-size, large

   Note
2. 2
   nouncountable

   A small copy of something bigger, such as a tiny model.

   Grandpa built a miniature of our house out of wood.

   The museum shop sells miniatures of famous buildings.

   Similarmodel, replica, microcosm

   Note
3. 3
   noununcountable

   A much smaller size or form than usual.

   The toy shop sells all the farm animals in miniature.

   Her dollhouse is her real home in miniature, with the same red door.

4. 4
   nouncountable

   A very small painting with lots of fine detail, often of a person.

   She keeps a miniature of her great-grandmother in a locket.

   The museum has a whole room of old miniatures in tiny oval frames.

5. 5
   nouncountable

   A small playing piece that stands for a soldier or character in a game.

   Each player moves a miniature across the map on their turn.

   My brother spent all weekend painting his dragon miniatures.

   Similarfigure

   Note
6. 6
   nouncountable

   A picture painted inside a handwritten book that is decorated by hand.

   Long ago, a monk painted a miniature of a knight on the first page of a handwritten book.

   Every page of the old prayer book has a bright miniature at the top.

   Similarillumination

   Note
7. 7
   noununcountable

   The art of painting very small pictures with lots of fine detail.

   She learned miniature from an old painter who used brushes with only a few hairs.

   Miniature takes a steady hand and a lot of patience.

8. 8
   nouncountable

   A short piece of music.

   The pianist ended the concert with a gentle miniature by a young composer.

   Her first album is a set of ten piano miniatures.

9. 9
   verbtransitive

   To make something smaller than normal, or to make a much smaller copy of it.

   The artist likes to miniature famous buildings in clay.

   The toy company miniatured the whole fire truck, right down to its ladder.

   Similarminiaturize, shrink

   Oppositeenlarge

   Note
10. 10
    nouncountable

    A game of chess that ends after only a few moves.

    My cousin beat me in a miniature that lasted only twelve moves.

    The book is full of famous miniatures from old tournaments.

    Note
11. 11
    nouncountable

    One detail or quality of someone or something, like a part of a face.

    There's no miniature / In her fair face, but is a copious theme / Which would, discoursed at large of, make a volume.

    1627, Philip Massinger, “The Great Duke of Florence”Here, miniature means one detail or feature of a face.

    Note

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