Some people believe that the spelling for the word meaning “extremely small” is “minoot.” This page examines whether “minoot” is a valid word and shows what to say instead.
Is “Minoot” a Word?
The word “minoot” is not valid and is not listed in any major dictionary. Some people misuse it to mean “very small”, as in “minute.” However, “minute” is an example of a “homonym” with “minute”, referring to sixty seconds.
The words “minute”, something very small, and “minute”, sixty seconds, are spelled the same but are pronounced differently and have different meanings.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary lists them on the same page. Whilst the Oxford Dictionary contains two entries, one for the “very small” definition and one for the “time frame” definition.
The word referring to something small is pronounced more like “my newt”, whereas the sixty-second time period is more like “minit.” Another word for “minute” could be something like “tiny” or “microscopic.”
What to Say Instead of “Minoot”
Other ways to say “minoot” or “minute” to mean “very small” include “microscopic”, “tiny”, and “minuscule.”
All these words can be used as alternatives for “minute”, and they all mean the same thing, a “very small quantity or small size.” There is, however, nothing wrong with using the word “minute”, and it is a perfectly acceptable and valid word when spelled correctly.
Tiny
The word “tiny” is listed in the Cambridge Dictionary as “extremely small.” It refers to the size or quantity of something and is widespread.
Here are some examples of “tiny” in a sentence:
- He ate such a tiny amount of food there was no way he could have been full.
- I might be a tiny bit late because I am stuck in traffic.
Microscopic
The word “microscopic” is listed in the Cambridge Dictionary as something very small that can only be seen with a microscope. However, it is also used in a more general sense to refer to extremely small things or small quantities.
Here are some examples of “microscopic” in a sentence:
- The teacher punished the most microscopic of mistakes from his students.
- Bacteria are microscopic organisms that are responsible for millions of deaths each year.
Minuscule
The word “minuscule” is listed in the Cambridge Dictionary as meaning “extremely small” and is a direct synonym of “minute.”
It refers to extremely small quantities or small objects in the same way that “minute is used.
Here are some sentences of “minuscule” in a sentence:
- The data we managed to collect was minuscule because nobody was willing to participate.
- His effort was minuscule, and the results were testimony to this.