Minimum
ˈmɪnɪməm
Definitions
2 meaningsThe smallest possible quantity or degree.
ˈmɪnɪməm
The least possible amount or degree.
The minimum age to drive is 16.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're baking cookies, and the recipe says you need a *minimum* of a cup of sugar. That means you need at least a cup, but it’s okay to use more! The *minimum* is the smallest amount you can use.
👶 For kids: The smallest amount of something.
More Examples
The minimum deposit required to open an account is $100.
How It's Used
"The minimum wage is set by the government."
"The minimum temperature recorded was -10 degrees Celsius."
The least possible; the lowest.
ˈmɪnɪməm
The smallest or lowest permissible or possible.
The minimum speed limit on the highway is 45 mph.
💡 Simply: The *minimum* when used as an adjective describes something that is at the smallest acceptable level. For instance, if your phone needs a *minimum* of 50% battery to watch a movie, that's the lowest it can be before you can’t use it.
👶 For kids: The smallest amount or the least.
More Examples
The minimum amount of sleep recommended for adults is 7 hours.
How It's Used
"The minimum payment on the credit card is $30."
"The minimum requirements for the software are a 2 GHz processor and 4 GB of RAM."
Idioms & expressions
at a minimum
at the very least; at the smallest amount or degree.
"We should, *at a minimum*, provide them with food and shelter."
From Latin *minimum* meaning 'the least'.
The term 'minimum' has been used since the 17th century.
Memory tip
Think of the smallest amount needed to get by.
Word Origin
"least"