mini
/ˈmɪn.i/ (bre, ipa) · [mˈɪni] /ˈmɪn.i/ (ame, ipa) · [mˈɪni] /ˈmi-nē/ (ame, mw) · /mɪn.i-/ (bre, ipa) · [mˈɪni] /mɪn.i-/ (ame, ipa)
mini — noun
- minisingular
- minisplural
1. a skirt cut so short that its lower edge sits well above the knee; a miniskirt
a skirt cut so short that its lower edge sits well above the knee; a miniskirt
Nila wore a red mini to the party with knee-high leather boots.
mini as a noun meaning miniskirt
The shop window displayed several minis in bright colours and patterns.
plural form: minis
Saira wore a black mini to the club and her friends all loved the outfit.
Quinn found a vintage leather mini at the charity shop for only five pounds.
- miniskirt
the full form; 'mini' is a shortening
用法筆記
Often used in fashion contexts. When the context is clear, 'mini' alone is understood to mean 'miniskirt'.
2. a small British car from a famous brand first produced in the 1960s
a small British car from a famous brand first produced in the 1960s
Ayana drives a blue Mini that she bought second-hand from a neighbour.
brand name capitalised: Mini
The original Mini was designed in the late 1950s to save fuel.
Mert parked his Mini in a spot too small for a regular car.
The Mini became a cultural icon of 1960s Britain alongside the miniskirt.
用法筆記
Capitalised as a proper noun when referring to the car brand. Both the classic model (Austin/Morris Mini) and the modern BMW-made version are called Mini.
mini — adjective
- minipositive
- more minicomparative
- most minisuperlative
1. (of a skirt, dress, or shorts) cut extremely short so that the hem reaches only
(of a skirt, dress, or shorts) cut extremely short so that the hem reaches only the upper part of the thigh
Jenna wore a mini dress to the concert and got many compliments.
collocation: mini dress
The bride chose a white mini skirt for the wedding reception.
collocation: mini skirt
Shops sell mini shorts and mini dresses in the same summer collection.
Élise bought a mini denim skirt that she paired with a plain blouse.
- short
more general; 'mini' implies extremely short
- long
standard opposite of short in clothing
- full-length
describes a dress or skirt that reaches the ankle
文法句型
mini + noun (skirt/dress/shorts)
用法筆記
Almost always used attributively (before a noun) to describe items of clothing. The noun that follows is typically a type of clothing — skirt, dress, or shorts.
2. much smaller in size, scale, or seriousness than what is normal for that type of
much smaller in size, scale, or seriousness than what is normal for that type of thing
The company launched a mini version of their best-selling tablet.
collocation: mini version
Valentina and Jin had a mini argument over the remote control but made up minutes later.
mini + argument = less serious disagreement
There was a mini heatwave in early spring that brought temperatures up to thirty degrees.
The children put on a mini concert for their parents in the living room.
Ari organised a mini festival featuring three local bands in the park.
- small-scale
similar but more neutral; 'mini' can sound more informal
- compact
focuses on efficient use of space, not on reduced seriousness
- full-scale
standard opposite for events, products, or conflicts
- large-scale
contrasts with the reduced-scope meaning
文法句型
mini + noun (version/edition/tournament)
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributive). Can describe anything from objects to events to conflicts — the core meaning is 'reduced in degree or size compared to the standard'. The word 'mini' here still carries a sense of playfulness or diminished seriousness.
3. notably small compared with others of the same kind — used for animals, plants,
notably small compared with others of the same kind — used for animals, plants, food items, and everyday objects
Megan adopted a mini pig that stays about the size of a cat.
mini pig = a breed of small pig
The bakery sells mini cakes that are perfect for children's parties.
Nila grows mini tomatoes in pots on her apartment balcony.
Sora and Tunde stayed at a charming mini hotel that had only six guest rooms.
The kitchen came with a mini fridge that fitted neatly under the counter.
文法句型
mini + noun (animal/plant/food)
用法筆記
Common in marketing and everyday descriptions of products. Unlike sense 2 (REDUCED SCALE), this sense does not imply 'less serious' — it simply comments on physical size. A 'mini pig' is physically small, not a less-serious version of a pig.
常見錯誤
mini — prefix
1. attached before a noun to describe something reduced in size, length, or importa
attached before a noun to describe something reduced in size, length, or importance compared with the usual version of that thing
A minibus picked up the children from the school every morning.
minibus = small bus for up to 15 passengers
The hotel room had a mini-fridge stocked with cold drinks and snacks.
mini-fridge = small refrigerator
Quinn stayed at a mini-resort on the coast that had just twenty cabins.
Ziad bought a mini-vacuum cleaner to keep inside the car.
The garden centre sold mini-cacti that fitted on a narrow windowsill.
文法句型
mini- + noun
用法筆記
The prefix 'mini-' is extremely productive — new words are formed frequently in product names and informal speech. It is usually attached with a hyphen, though many common words have lost the hyphen (minibus, miniskirt, minivan).
常見錯誤
mini — combining form
1. forms compound nouns in media, event, and educational contexts to describe a ver
forms compound nouns in media, event, and educational contexts to describe a version that is shorter in duration, fewer in episodes, or limited in scope compared with the standard full-length version — the reduction is in time or content rather than in physical dimensions
The television network aired a mini-series about the life of a famous painter.
mini-series = TV drama with a small number of episodes
Ayana took a mini-break to the mountains to escape the city noise.
mini-break = short holiday
The university offers a mini-course on digital photography every summer.
Shirin signed up for a mini-MBA programme that lasted only six weeks.
- full-length
describes a film or series of normal duration
- complete
contrasts with a shortened version of a course or programme
文法句型
mini- + noun (media, events, education)
用法筆記
Distinguish from the prefix sense (SMALLER VERSION): the prefix attaches productively to any noun to indicate physical or comparative reduction (mini-fridge, minibus, mini-cactus). This combining form is restricted to established compounds in media, events, and education where the reduction is in duration or content rather than physical dimensions. A 'mini-series' has fewer episodes, not a physically smaller screen.