MINIMUM (minima)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: minima   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does minimum mean? 

• MINIMUM (noun)
  The noun MINIMUM has 2 senses:

1. the smallest possible quantity

2. the point on a curve where the tangent changes from negative on the left to positive on the right

  Familiarity information: MINIMUM used as a noun is rare.

• MINIMUM (adjective)
  The adjective MINIMUM has 1 sense:

1. the least possible

  Familiarity information: MINIMUM used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MINIMUM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The smallest possible quantity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

lower limit; minimum

Hypernyms ("minimum" is a kind of...):

extremum; peak (the most extreme possible amount or value)

small indefinite amount; small indefinite quantity (an indefinite quantity that is below average size or magnitude)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "minimum"):

skeleton (something reduced to its minimal form)

Antonym:

maximum (the largest possible quantity)

Derivation:

minimise (make small or insignificant)

minimise (represent as less significant or important)

minimize (make small or insignificant)

minimize (represent as less significant or important)

minimize (cause to seem less serious; play down)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The point on a curve where the tangent changes from negative on the left to positive on the right

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Hypernyms ("minimum" is a kind of...):

limit (as far as something can go)

Antonym:

maximum (the point on a curve where the tangent changes from positive on the left to negative on the right)

• MINIMUM (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The least possible

Synonyms:

minimal; minimum

Context example:

a minimal charge for the service

Similar:

borderline; marginal (of questionable or minimal quality)

negligible (so small as to be meaningless; insignificant)

nominal; token; tokenish (insignificantly small; a matter of form only ('tokenish' is informal))

stripped; stripped-down (having only essential or minimal features)

Antonym:

maximum (the greatest or most complete or best possible)

 Context examples 

The minimum concentration between dose time and dose time plus Tau (at Tmin) divided by the surface area.

(Minimum Concentration Normalized by Surface Area, NCI Thesaurus)

The minimum concentration between dose time and dose time plus Tau (at Tmin) divided by the dose.

(Minimum Concentration Normalized by Dose, NCI Thesaurus)

AIDS related research with a minimum of 20% research efforts related to females 12 years of age or older.

(AIDS Related Research, Women, NCI Thesaurus)

The minimum inhibitory concentration of antibiotic is assessed.

(Agar Dilution Method, NCI Thesaurus)

Fortunately, light pollution can be controlled by shielding lights to limit shine to the immediate area, reducing lighting to the minimum amount needed — or by simply turning them off.

(Milky Way now hidden from a third of humanity, NOAA)

The minimum concentration between dose time and dose time plus Tau (at Tmin) divided by the weight.

(Minimum Concentration Normalized by Weight, NCI Thesaurus)

AIDS related research with a minimum of 20% (or $100,000) research efforts related to foreign countries.

(AIDS, International, NCI Thesaurus)

AIDS related research with a minimum of 20% (or $100,000) research efforts related to females 12 years of age or older.

(AIDS, Women, NCI Thesaurus)

The point at which the elliptical shaped area of growth inhibition meets the strip is the minimum inhibitory concentration of the drug of interest.

(Epsilometry, NCI Thesaurus)

The required minimum duration in children to make this diagnosis is 1 year.

(Dysthymic Disorder, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)