mini

Everyday

1. Mini means very small or smaller than usual: a mini pizza, a mini test. tree →
2. As the start of a word (mini-), it means "small": minibus, minibeast, miniskirt, mini-golf. tree →
3. A Mini is a small British car. tree →
4. (informal) A mini is a short skirt (a miniskirt). tree →

In the lessons

In school, mini is everyday talk: «mini whiteboards», «a mini quiz», «minibeasts» (small creatures like woodlice and beetles in science), «a mini project». In maths, «mini» is not a measurement; it only tells you something is small. Phrases: «mini whiteboard», «minibeast hunt», «mini-golf», «mini version», «mini break».

Examples

• Write your answer on your mini whiteboard. tree →
• We went on a minibeast hunt and found three snails. tree →
• The party had mini sausages and mini muffins. tree →
• Our class went to the zoo in a minibus. tree →
• Let's have a mini quiz before lunch. tree →
• Grandma drove a little red Mini. tree →
• We played mini-golf on holiday. tree →

Note

Often joined to the next word (minibus) or with a hyphen (mini-golf), or written separately before a noun (mini quiz). Opposite: maxi, mega, giant. «Mini» comes from «miniature». Capital M for the car brand. Not a number: «mini» does not tell you how small.