noun · 4 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
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈmɪn.ɪ.maɪˈzeɪʃən/
General-American:/ˈmɪn.ɪ.mɪˈzeɪʃən/
General-American:/ˈmɪn.ə.mɪˈzeɪʃən/
Canada:/ˈmɪn.ɪ.mɪˈzeɪʃən/
Australian:/ˈmɪn.ɪˌmɑɪˈzæɪʃən/
1
noun
Meaning 1
The act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
companies should engage in risk minimization
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The tendency to present events as trivial or unimportant; trivialization
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences
Examples
the minimization of racial experiences by peers
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The process of finding the minimum value of a function.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: mathematics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
the act of reducing something to the least possible amount or degree or position
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Etymology tree English minimize Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English minimization From minimize + -ation.
Across languages
Translations
20 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Belarusian:
мініміза́цыя
(minimizácyja)
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Chinese Mandarin:
最小化
(zuìxiǎohuà)
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Czech:
minimalizace
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Dutch:
minimaliseren
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Finnish:
minimointi
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
German:
Minimierung
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Greek:
ελαχιστοποίηση
(elachistopoíisi)
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Irish:
íoslaghdú
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Irish:
íoslaghdúchán
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Japanese:
最小化
(saishōka)
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Kazakh:
барынша азайту
(barynşa azaitu)
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Korean:
최소화
(choesohwa)
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Polish:
minimalizacja
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Russian:
минимиза́ция
(minimizácija)
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Spanish:
minimización
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Swedish:
minimering
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Ukrainian:
мініміза́ція
(minimizácija)
— act of lowering something to its smallest value or extent
Finnish:
minimointi
— process of finding the minimum value of a function
Greek:
ελαχιστοποίηση
(elachistopoíisi)
— process of finding the minimum value of a function
Irish:
íoslaghdú
— process of finding the minimum value of a function
