minimum
♦ mini|mum /m'ɪnɪməm/
1 [ADJ] ADJ n
You use minimum to describe an amount which is the smallest that is possible, allowed, or required.
He was only five feet nine, the minimum height for a policeman.
...a rise in the minimum wage.
≠ maximum
[N-SING] oft a N of amount
Minimum is also a noun.
This will take a minimum of one hour...
Four foot should be seen as an absolute minimum.
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
You use minimum to state how small an amount is.
The basic needs of life are available with minimum effort...
Neil and Chris try to spend the minimum amount of time on the garden.
[N-SING] a N of n
Minimum is also a noun.
With a minimum of fuss, she produced the grandson he had so desperately wished for.
3 [ADV] amount ADV
If you say that something is a particular amount minimum, you mean that this is the smallest amount it should be or could possibly be, although a larger amount is acceptable or very possible.
You're talking over a thousand pounds minimum for one course.
≠ maximum
4 [PHRASE] amount PHR, PHR with cl, PHR after v
You use at a minimum, or at the minimum, when you want to indicate that something is the very least which could or should happen.
This would take three months at a minimum...
≠ at the maximum
5 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you say that someone keeps something to a minimum, or to the minimum, you mean that they keep the amount of it as small as possible.
Office machinery is kept to a minimum...mini|mum se|cu|rity pris|on (minimum security prisons)
[N-COUNT]
A minimum security prison is a prison where there are fewer restrictions on prisoners than in a normal prison. (mainly AM; in BRIT, use open prison)mini|mum wage
[N-SING]
The minimum wage is the lowest wage that an employer is allowed to pay an employee, according to a law or agreement.
1 [ADJ] ADJ n
You use minimum to describe an amount which is the smallest that is possible, allowed, or required.
He was only five feet nine, the minimum height for a policeman.
...a rise in the minimum wage.
≠ maximum
[N-SING] oft a N of amount
Minimum is also a noun.
This will take a minimum of one hour...
Four foot should be seen as an absolute minimum.
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
You use minimum to state how small an amount is.
The basic needs of life are available with minimum effort...
Neil and Chris try to spend the minimum amount of time on the garden.
[N-SING] a N of n
Minimum is also a noun.
With a minimum of fuss, she produced the grandson he had so desperately wished for.
3 [ADV] amount ADV
If you say that something is a particular amount minimum, you mean that this is the smallest amount it should be or could possibly be, although a larger amount is acceptable or very possible.
You're talking over a thousand pounds minimum for one course.
≠ maximum
4 [PHRASE] amount PHR, PHR with cl, PHR after v
You use at a minimum, or at the minimum, when you want to indicate that something is the very least which could or should happen.
This would take three months at a minimum...
≠ at the maximum
5 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you say that someone keeps something to a minimum, or to the minimum, you mean that they keep the amount of it as small as possible.
Office machinery is kept to a minimum...mini|mum se|cu|rity pris|on (minimum security prisons)
[N-COUNT]
A minimum security prison is a prison where there are fewer restrictions on prisoners than in a normal prison. (mainly AM; in BRIT, use open prison)mini|mum wage
[N-SING]
The minimum wage is the lowest wage that an employer is allowed to pay an employee, according to a law or agreement.