min·i·mum  (m ĭn ə-m əm)
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n. pl. min·i·mums or min·i·ma (-m ə) 1. a. The least possible quantity or degree. b. The lowest degree or amount reached or recorded; the lower limit of variation. 2. A lower limit permitted by law or other authority. 3. A sum of money set by a nightclub or restaurant as the least amount each patron must spend on food and drink. 4. Mathematics a. The smallest number in a finite set of numbers. b. A value of a function that is less than any other value of the function over a specific interval. adj. Of, consisting of, or representing the lowest possible amount or degree permissible or attainable.
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices
Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:
Indo-European Roots
Semitic Roots
The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.
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