miniature
/ˈmɪnətʃə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmɪnətʃər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmi-nē-ə-ˌchu̇r ˈmi-ni-ˌchu̇r ˈmin-yə-, -chər, -ˌtyu̇r, -ˌtu̇r/ (ame, mw) · /ˈmɪn.ə.tʃər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmɪn.i.ə.tʃɚ/ (ame, ipa)
miniature — adjective
- miniaturepositive
- more miniaturecomparative
- most miniaturesuperlative
1. referring to something built or produced as a very small version of a real objec
referring to something built or produced as a very small version of a real object; much smaller than the normal size for that type of thing.
Quan collected miniature trains and displayed them on shelves in his bedroom.
collocation: miniature trains / miniature cars
At the fair, miniature versions of famous landmarks were sold as souvenirs.
passive: miniature + noun as modifier
Élise painted a miniature landscape on a small wooden board as a gift.
The museum's gift shop offered a miniature model of the entire palace.
For the party, Hana prepared miniature sandwiches and tiny cups of soup.
- tiny
more general; does not imply a copy or replica
- small-scale
more formal; used for models, plans, or projects
- compact
suggests efficient use of space, not an exact replica
文法句型
miniature + noun
miniature — noun
- miniaturesingular
- miniaturesplural
1. a tiny painted portrait, especially one made in past centuries that shows a pers
a tiny painted portrait, especially one made in past centuries that shows a person's head and shoulders in fine detail, historically painted on materials such as ivory or vellum.
The museum displayed a 16th-century miniature of Queen Elizabeth the First.
pattern: a miniature of [person]
Ignacio inherited a family miniature painted on ivory from his great-grandmother.
painted on [material]
Art collectors paid high prices for detailed miniatures of European royalty.
The exhibition showed how miniatures were painted using fine brushes and special pigments.
- portrait miniature
more specific; always depicts a person
- thumbnail sketch
less formal; implies a rough, quick drawing, not a finished artwork
文法句型
a miniature of + person
用法筆記
Historically associated with portrait miniatures on ivory or vellum; the term is now also used for any very small detailed painting.
2. a single-serving bottle of an alcoholic drink, much smaller than a regular wine
a single-serving bottle of an alcoholic drink, much smaller than a regular wine or liquor bottle, often found in hotels or on airplanes.
The flight attendant handed Evelyn a miniature of red wine with her meal.
pattern: a miniature of [drink]
Roya collected miniatures from different countries whenever she travelled for work.
Ilan found a miniature of whiskey in the hotel mini-bar.
Guests at the wedding received a miniature of champagne as a small gift.
- full bottle
a standard-size bottle
- magnum
a large wine bottle holding 1.5 litres
文法句型
a miniature of + alcoholic drink
用法筆記
Commonly appears in the phrase 'a miniature of [drink]' or elliptically as 'a miniature' when the context makes the meaning clear.
3. a much smaller version of something, built or made to look exactly like the orig
a much smaller version of something, built or made to look exactly like the original but in a greatly reduced size.
The children played with a miniature of their family home made from Lego bricks.
pattern: a miniature of [object]
At the theme park, visitors could see a miniature of the entire city.
Shanti built a miniature of a traditional Japanese temple for the school project.
The exhibition featured a miniature of the space station used by NASA for training.
- scale model
more precise; implies exact ratios and is often technical
- replica
focuses on being an exact copy, not necessarily small
- mini version
more informal and general
- full-scale version
the original, full-size object
- full-sized original
the thing that the miniature copies
文法句型
a miniature of + object
in miniature