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Miniature vs Elfin - What's the difference?

miniature | elfin | Related terms |

Miniature is a related term of elfin.


As nouns the difference between miniature and elfin

is that miniature is greatly diminished size or form; reduced scale while elfin is an elf; an inhabitant of fairy-land.

As adjectives the difference between miniature and elfin

is that miniature is smaller than normal while elfin is relating to or resembling an elf, especially in its tiny size or features.

As a verb miniature

is to make smaller than normal; to reproduce in miniature.

miniature

English

("miniature on Wikiquote")

Noun

(en noun)
  • Greatly diminished size or form; reduced scale.
  • A small version of something; a model of reduced scale.
    • There was a miniature of a whaling ship in a glass bottle over the mantlepiece.
  • A small, highly detailed painting, a portrait miniature.
  • The art of painting such highly detailed miniature works.
  • An illustration in an illuminated manuscript.
  • A musical composition which is short in duration.
    • Sacha composed a miniature for strings as a final project at the conservatory.
  • (gaming) A token in a game representing a unit or character.
    • Jack had dozens of miniatures of Napoleonic footsoldiers painted in detailed period regalia for his wargames.
  • Lettering in red; rubric distinction.
  • A particular feature or trait.
    • (Massinger)

    Derived terms

    * miniaturist

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Smaller than normal.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-09-06, author= Alok Jha
    • , volume=189, issue=13, page=39, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Miniature brains grown in lab , passage=Scientists have grown miniature human brains in test tubes, creating a "tool" that will allow them to watch how the organs develop in the womb and, they hope, increase their understanding of neurological and mental problems. ¶ Just a few millimetres across, the "cerebral organoids" are built up of layers of brain cells with defined regions that resemble those seen in immature, embryonic brains.}}

    Derived terms

    * miniature poodle * miniaturism

    Verb

    (miniatur)
  • To make smaller than normal; to reproduce in miniature.
    • ----

    elfin

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) elven, from (etyl) elfen, .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An elf; an inhabitant of fairy-land.
  • A little urchin or child.

    • Etymology 2

    Partly from attributive use of Etymology 1, but reanalysed by Spenser as if equivalent to .

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Relating to or resembling an elf, especially in its tiny size or features.
  • *
  • *:Three chairs of the steamer type, all maimed, comprised the furniture of this roof-garden, withon one of the copings a row of four red clay flower-pots filled with sun-baked dust from which gnarled and rusty stalks thrust themselves up like withered elfin limbs.
  • *{{quote-news, year=2012, date=May 24, author=Nathan Rabin, work=The Onion AV Club
    • , title= Film: Reviews: Men In Black 3 , passage=He’s forced to travel back to 1969 to prevent an evil alien (a shockingly effective, nearly unrecognizable Jemaine Clement of Flight Of The Conchords, playing sort of a psychotic extraterrestrial-biker serial killer) from destroying the world by killing Brolin. Smith is aided in his quest by an elfin , time-jumping alien with psychic powers played by another Coen brothers veteran, A Serious Man star Michael Stuhlbarg. }}
    Synonyms
    * elvish