minimal

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See also: minimál and mini-mal

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From minimum +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

Adjective

minimal (comparative more minimal, superlative most minimal)

  1. The smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree.
    Synonym: minimum
    Antonym: maximal
    With minimal effort, you won't be able to achieve all your dreams.
    1. (mathematics, technical) Among elements of some collection, such that no other element is greater (with respect to some given partial order).
      With respect to the ordering induced by set-theoretic inclusion, the power set of the set of natural numbers has a unique minimal element: the empty set.
  2. (art) Characterised by the use of simple form or structures.
  3. (music) Characterised by the repetition and gradual alteration of short phrases.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

minimal (plural minimals)

  1. Something very small; a tiny part or fragment.
    • 1994, David Holbrook, Creativity and Popular Culture, page 37:
      [] we seek in explaining mental phenomena and behavior always the "minimals," the little fragments of association, on which the mind is (passively) supposed to be based.
    • 1987, J. Golden Taylor, Western Literature Association (U.S.), A Literary History of the American West (page 451)
      identifications with birds, fish, trees, and flowers (and occasionally as relief, with the stillness of rocks, clam shells, driftwood, and nature's minimals);

References

Crimean Tatar

Etymology

From Latin minimus (smallest).

Adjective

minimal

  1. minimal
    Synonym: asğariy

References

  • Mirjejev, V. A., Usejinov, S. M. (2002) Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary]‎, Simferopol: Dolya, →ISBN
  • minimal”, in Luğatçıq (in Russian)

French

Pronunciation

Adjective

minimal (feminine minimale, masculine plural minimaux, feminine plural minimales)

  1. minimal

Derived terms

Further reading

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

minimal (strong nominative masculine singular minimaler, not comparable)

  1. minimal
    Antonym: maximal

Declension

Further reading

  • minimal” in Duden online
  • minimal” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Interlingua

Adjective

minimal (not comparable)

  1. minimal

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from English minimal. First attested in 1996.

Adjective

minimal

  1. minimal, minimalistic
    Synonyms: semplice, sobrio, essenziale

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin minimus.

Adjective

minimal (neuter singular minimalt, definite singular and plural minimale)

  1. minimal, minimum

Antonyms

References

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin minimus.

Adjective

minimal (neuter singular minimalt, definite singular and plural minimale)

  1. minimal, minimum

Antonyms

References

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 

  • Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
  • Hyphenation: mi‧ni‧mal

Adjective

minimal m or f (plural minimais)

  1. minimal, minimum
    Synonym: mínimo
  2. (not comparable, relational) of, or pertaining to, the minimum
  3. (art) minimal (characterised by the use of simple form or structures)
    Synonym: minimalista

Derived terms

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French minimal. Equivalent to minim +‎ -al.

Adjective

minimal m or n (feminine singular minimală, masculine plural minimali, feminine and neuter plural minimale)

  1. minimal
    Synonym: minim

Declension

singular plural
masculine neuter feminine masculine neuter feminine
nominative-
accusative
indefinite minimal minimală minimali minimale
definite minimalul minimala minimalii minimalele
genitive-
dative
indefinite minimal minimale minimali minimale
definite minimalului minimalei minimalilor minimalelor

Spanish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /miniˈmal/
  • Rhymes: -al
  • Syllabification: mi‧ni‧mal

Adjective

minimal m or f (masculine and feminine plural minimales)

  1. minimalistic

Swedish

Pronunciation

Adjective

minimal (comparative minimalare, superlative minimalast)

  1. minimal; the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree; as small as possible
    Antonym: maximal
    Kunde du inte hitta någon minimalare kjol??
    Sheesh, were you unable to find any smaller skirt than that??

Declension

Inflection of minimal
Indefinite positive comparative superlative1
common singular minimal minimalare minimalast
neuter singular minimalt minimalare minimalast
plural minimala minimalare minimalast
masculine plural2 minimale minimalare minimalast
Definite positive comparative superlative
masculine singular3 minimale minimalare minimalaste
all minimala minimalare minimalaste

1 The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
2 Dated or archaic.
3 Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

References