Minish, min′ish, v.t. (B.) to make little or less: to diminish. [Fr. menuiser, to cut small, said of a carpenter—L. minutia, smallness.]
Minister, min′is-tėr, n. a servant: one who serves at the altar: a clergyman: one transacting business for another: the responsible head of a department of state affairs: the representative of a government at a foreign court.—v.i. to act as a servant: to perform duties: to supply or do things needful.—v.t. to furnish:—pr.p. min′istering; pa.p. min′istered.—adj. Ministē′rial, pertaining to the work of a servant: acting under superior authority: pertaining to the office of a minister: clerical: executive.—n. Ministē′rialist, one who supports ministers or the government in office.—adv. Ministē′rially.—adj. Min′istering, attending and serving.—n. Ministē′rium, the body of the ordained ministers in a district.—adj. Min′istrant, administering: attendant.—n. Ministrā′tion, the act of ministering or performing service: office or service of a minister.—adj. Min′istrātive, serving to aid or assist: ministering.—ns. Min′istress, a female minister; Min′istry, act of ministering: service: office or duties of a minister: the clergy: the clerical profession: the body of ministers who manage the business of the country. [L.,—minor, less.]
Minium, min′i-um, n. red oxide of lead.—adj. Min′iate, minium coloured.—v.t. to paint with minium. [Fr.,—L., minium, red lead.]
Miniver, min′i-vėr, n. a mixed or variegated fur. [O. Fr. menu ver—menu, small—L. minutus, vair, fur—L. varius, changing, mottled.]
Mink, mingk, n. a small quadruped of the weasel kind, valued for its fur. [Perh. from Sw. mänk.]
Minnesinger, min′e-sing′ėr, n. one of a school of German amatory lyric poets in the 12th and 13th centuries, mostly of noble birth. [Ger. minne, love, singer, singer.]
Minnie, min′i, n. (Scot.) mother. [Dim. of min.]
Minnow, min′ō, n. a very small fresh-water fish of the same genus as the roach, chub, &c.: the young of larger fish. [A.S. myne, prob. min, less.]
Mino, mē′nō, n. a Japanese rain-coat of hemp, &c.
Minor, mī′nor, adj. smaller: less: inferior in importance, degree, bulk, &c.: inconsiderable: lower: (mus.) smaller by a semitone.—n. a person under age (21 years): (logic) the term of a syllogism which forms the subject of the conclusion.—n. Mī′norite, a Franciscan friar.—adj. belonging to the Franciscans.—n. Minor′ity, the state of being under age (also Mī′norship): the smaller of two parts of a number: a number less than half:—opp. to Majority.—Minor canon, a canon of inferior grade who assists in performing the daily choral service in a cathedral; Minor mode or scale, the mode or scale in music which has the third note only three semitones above the key; Minor premise, the premise which contains the minor term; Minor prophets, the name given to the twelve prophets from Hosea to Malachi inclusive. [L., neut. minus.]