Etymologically
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mini

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈmɪn.i/[1]

Etymology

It is a shortening of minicar, or from the prefix mini-,[2][3][4] itself from miniature, reinforced by minimum.[5][6] The adjective is partly a shortening of miniature.[4][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

A small car: 1961 in the OED and Etymonline, 1962 in Barnhart.[3][2][4] Etymonline ties it to the mini-car made by the British Motor Corporation.[2]

Semantic evolution

The adjective, very small, is from 1963.[3][4] As a shortening of miniskirt the noun is from 1966.[2][3][4] A minicomputer is from the late 20th century.[6]

Timeline

  • 1961 – a small car.[3][2]
  • 1963 – adjective, very small.[3][4]
  • 1966 – a miniskirt.[3][2]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. Something much smaller than others of its kind.
  2. A miniskirt.
  3. A small car.

Adjective

  1. Very small, miniature.

Word family

  • mini-
  • micromini

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  5. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press