Where does “minuscule” come from?
Minuscule comes from French minuscule, from Latin minuscula, the feminine form of minusculus, diminutive of minus meaning less, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European men- meaning to diminish.
minuscule (English): A lowercase letter; Either of the two medieval...
Definitions
- A lowercase letter; Either of the two medieval...
Ancestry of “minuscule”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | minuscule | tiny, minute, minuscule; lowercase; a minuscule,... |
| 2 | Latin | minuscula | nominative feminine singular of minusculus;... |
| 3 | Latin | minusculus | rather less; rather small |
| 4 | Latin | minor | comparative degree of parvus; lesser, inferior,... |
| 5 | Latin | minae | projecting points, pinnacles, battlements,... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | *eksmenā | — |
Words derived from “minuscule”