miniature

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: min=ia=ture

CIDE DICTIONARY

miniature, n. [It. miniatura, fr. L. miniare. See Miniate, v.,Minium.].

•  Originally, a painting in colors such as those in mediæval manuscripts; in modern times, any very small painting, especially a portrait.  [1913 Webster]
•  Greatly diminished size or form; reduced scale.  [1913 Webster]
•  Lettering in red; rubric distinction.  [1913 Webster]
•  A particular feature or trait.  Massinger.  [1913 Webster]

miniature, a. 

 Being on a small scale; much reduced from the reality; as, a miniature copy.  [1913 Webster]

miniature, v. t. 

 To represent or depict in a small compass, or on a small scale.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

miniature, adj., n., & v.
--adj.
1 much smaller than normal.
2 represented on a small scale.
--n.
1 any object reduced in size.
2 a small-scale minutely finished portrait.
3 this branch of painting (portrait in miniature).
4 a picture or decorated letters in an illuminated manuscript.
--v.tr. represent on a smaller scale.

Idiom

in miniature on a small scale. miniature camera a camera producing small negatives.

Derivative

miniaturist n. (in senses 2 and 3 of n.).

Etymology

It. miniatura f. med.L miniatura f. L miniare rubricate, illuminate f. L minium red lead, vermilion

THESAURUS

miniature

Elzevir, Lilliputian, abstract, abstraction, altarpiece, baby, baby-sized, bantam, banty, block print, collage, color print, compact, companion, copy, cursory, cyclorama, daub, dead ringer, depthless, diminutive, diptych, doll, double, duodecimo, duplicate, dwarf, effigy, engraving, exact likeness, fellow, few, footling, fresco, handy, head, icon, idol, illumination, illustration, image, inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, itty-bitty, likeness, lilliputian, little, living image, living picture, low, match, mate, meager, micro, microcosm, microscopic, midget, mini, miniaturized, minikin, minimal, minny, minuscule, minute, mirroring, model, montage, mosaic, mural, negligible, no great shakes, panorama, petty, photograph, picayune, picayunish, picture, pocket, pocket edition, pocket-sized, pony, portrait, portraiture, portrayal, print, profile, puppet, pygmy, reflection, representation, reproduction, resemblance, rubbing, semblance, shadow, shallow, short, silhouette, similitude, simulacrum, skin-deep, small, small-scale, spit and image, spitting image, stained glass window, stencil, still life, subminiature, superficial, tableau, tapestry, teeny, teeny-weeny, tiny, toy, trace, tracing, trifling, triptych, trivial, twelvemo, twin, very image, very picture, vest-pocket, wall painting, wee, weeny

ROGET THESAURUS

miniature

Littleness

N littleness, smallness, exiguity, inextension, parvitude, parvity, duodecimo, Elzevir edition, epitome, microcosm, rudiment, vanishing point, thinness, dwarf, pygmy, pigmy, Liliputian, chit, pigwidgeon, urchin, elf, atomy, dandiprat, doll, puppet, Tom Thumb, Hop-o'-my-thumb, manikin, mannikin, homunculus, dapperling, cock-sparrow, animalcule, monad, mite, insect, emmet, fly, midge, gnat, shrimp, minnow, worm, maggot, entozoon, bacteria, infusoria, microzoa, phytozoaria, microbe, grub, tit, tomtit, runt, mouse, small fry, millet seed, mustard seed, barleycorn, pebble, grain of sand, molehill, button, bubble, point, atom, fragment, powder, point of a pin, mathematical point, minutiae, micrometer, vernier, scale, microphotography, photomicrography, micrography, photomicrograph, microphotograph, microscopy, microscope (optical instruments), little, small, minute, diminutive, microscopic, microzoal, inconsiderable, exiguous, puny, tiny, wee, petty, minikin, miniature, pygmy, pigmy, elfin, undersized, dwarf, dwarfed, dwarfish, spare, stunted, limited, cramp, cramped, pollard, Liliputian, dapper, pocket, portative, portable, duodecimo, dumpy, squat, short, impalpable, intangible, evanescent, imperceptible, invisible, inappreciable, insignificant, inconsiderable, trivial, infinitesimal, homoeopathic, atomic, subatomic, corpuscular, molecular, rudimentary, rudimental, embryonic, vestigial, weazen, scant, scraggy, scrubby, thin, granular, shrunk, brevipennate, in a small compass, in a nutshell, on a small scale, minutely, microscopically.

Painting

N painting, depicting, drawing, design, perspective, sciagraphy, skiagraphy, chiaroscuro, composition, treatment, historical painting, portrait painting, miniature painting, landscape painting, marine painting, still life, flower painting, scene painting, scenography, school, style, the grand style, high art, genre, portraiture, ornamental art, monochrome, polychrome, grisaille, pallet, palette, easel, brush, pencil, stump, black lead, charcoal, crayons, chalk, pastel, paint, watercolor, body color, oil color, oils, oil paint, varnish, priming, gouache, tempera, distemper, fresco, water glass, enamel, encaustic painting, mosaic, tapestry, photography, heliography, color photography, sun painting, graphics, computer graphics, picture, painting, piece, tableau, canvas, oil painting, fresco, cartoon, easel picture, cabinet picture, draught, draft, pencil drawing, water color drawing, etching, charcoal, pen-and-ink, sketch, outline, study, photograph, color photograph, black-and-white photograph, holograph, heliograph, daguerreotype, talbotype, calotype, heliotype, negative, positive, print, glossy print, matte print, enlargement, reduction, life-size print, instant photo, Polaroid photo, technicolor, Kodachrome, Ektachrome, Polaroid, portrait, whole length, full length, half length, kitcat, head, miniature, shade, silhouette, profile, landscape, seapiece, view, scene, prospect, panorama, diorama, still life, picture gallery, exhibit, studio, atelier, pinacotheca, painted, pictorial, graphic, picturesque, pencil, oil, in pencil, fecit, delineavit, mutum est pictura poema.