adj · noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈmɪn.ɪ.məl/
General-American:/ˈmɪn.ə.məl/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:M IH1 N AH0 M AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
The smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
With minimal effort, you won't be able to achieve all your dreams.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: minimum
Antonyms: maximal
2
adj
Meaning 2
The smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree.
Among elements of some collection, such that no other element is greater (with respect to some given partial order).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
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.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: minimum
Antonyms: maximal
3
adj
Meaning 3
Characterised by the use of simple form or structures.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: art, arts
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Characterised by the repetition and gradual alteration of short phrases.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
Something very small; a tiny part or fragment.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective
Meaning 6
the least possible
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
needed to enforce minimal standards
her grades were minimal
minimum wage
a minimal charge for the service
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: minimum
Antonyms: maximal
History
Etymology
From minimum + -al.
Across languages
Translations
61 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
նվազագույն
(nvazaguyn)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Armenian:
մինիմալ
(minimal)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Asturian:
mínimu
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Belarusian:
мініма́льны
(minimálʹny)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Bulgarian:
минимален
(minimalen)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Bulgarian:
най-малък
(naj-malǎk)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Catalan:
mínim
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Czech:
minimální
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Danish:
minimal
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Dutch:
minimaal
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Esperanto:
minimuma
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Finnish:
minimaalinen
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Finnish:
mahdollisimman pieni
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
French:
minimum
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Galician:
mínimo
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
German:
minimal
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Hindi:
न्यूनतम
(nyūntam)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Hungarian:
minimális
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Irish:
íosta
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Italian:
minimo
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Italian:
minimale
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Japanese:
最小
(saishō)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Japanese:
最低
(saitei)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Kazakh:
ең аз
(eñ az)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Kazakh:
минималды
(minimaldy)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Kazakh:
ең төменгі
(eñ tömeñı)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Polish:
minimalny
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Portuguese:
mínimo
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Portuguese:
mínima
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Portuguese:
mínimos
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Portuguese:
mínimas
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Romanian:
minimal
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Russian:
минима́льный
(minimálʹnyj)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Slovak:
minimálna
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Slovak:
minimálny
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Slovak:
minimálne
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Spanish:
mínimo
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Swedish:
minimal
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Turkish:
asgari
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Turkish:
en az
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Turkish:
en düşük
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Ottoman Turkish:
قورو
(kuru)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Ukrainian:
мініма́льний
(minimálʹnyj)
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Volapük:
minumik
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Welsh:
minimol
— the smallest possible amount, quantity, or degree
Armenian:
մինիմալիստ
(minimalist)
— art: characterised by the use of simple form or structures
Armenian:
նվազապաշտ
(nvazapašt)
— art: characterised by the use of simple form or structures
Catalan:
minimalista
— art: characterised by the use of simple form or structures
Dutch:
minimalistische
— art: characterised by the use of simple form or structures
Finnish:
minimaalinen
— art: characterised by the use of simple form or structures
Finnish:
pelkistetty
— art: characterised by the use of simple form or structures
French:
minimaliste
— art: characterised by the use of simple form or structures
Portuguese:
minimalista
— art: characterised by the use of simple form or structures
Portuguese:
minimal
— art: characterised by the use of simple form or structures
Russian:
минималистичный
(minimalističnyj)
— art: characterised by the use of simple form or structures
Spanish:
minimalista
— art: characterised by the use of simple form or structures
Swedish:
minimalistisk
— art: characterised by the use of simple form or structures
Dutch:
minimalistisch
— music: characterised by the repetition and gradual alteration of short phrases
Finnish:
minimaalinen
— music: characterised by the repetition and gradual alteration of short phrases
French:
minimaliste
— music: characterised by the repetition and gradual alteration of short phrases
Spanish:
minimalista
— music: characterised by the repetition and gradual alteration of short phrases