MIN 



483 



MIO 



> OTR. For further particular* *i to minerals, see under the several names and others 

 throughout the work and (supplement. 



MIN'IM, from minimum, least. l.Anote 



in music equal to half a semibreve. 2. 



The one-sixtieth of a fluid drachm, an- 

 swering to the old drop, taking water as 

 the standard. 



MIN'IMA. In mathematics, see MAXIMA 

 ET MINIMA. 



MIN'IMS. An order of Franciscans at 

 Minimi, founded by St. Francis de Paula. 



MIN'IMUM. 1. The least, as distinguished 



from maximum, the greatest. 2. In 



pharmacy, a minim. 



MIN'ION. A small description of print- 

 ing type, a size larger than nonpareil. 

 The term is from French menu, small, not 

 mignon, a favourite. 



MIN'ISTER (Latin). Persons to whom 

 the sovereign intrusts the administration 

 of government are teriued ministers of 

 state, and the chief is the prime minister. 



MIN'IUM. lied oxide of lead, or red- 

 lead. 



MINK. An amphibious quadruped, the 

 Bfustelea luteola, Pall., much esteemed for 

 its fur. It frequents the banks of rivers, 

 Ac. in the north and east of Europe, from 

 the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea, and 

 lives on frogs and crabs. It is also found 

 in America. 



MINNEHO'FE (Germ.). Courts of love ; 

 the German name of the cours d'amour, 

 so famous in the history of chivalry. 



MINNESINGERS. The 'most ancient 

 school of German poets, whose name is 

 derived from the word minne, love. 



MiNoa'iTT. Used in opposition to ma- 

 jority. From minor, less, smaller. Used 

 chiefly of persons of an assembly (as in 

 parliament) voting upon some question. 

 Also, the period during which the sove- 

 reign is incapable of exercising his autho- 

 rity, being under age. In law, it U simi- 



larly the state of an individual of either 

 sex, who is under the age at which civil 

 rights can be exercised. 



MINOR TERM, OF A SYLLOGISM, is the 

 subject of the conclusion ; the minor pre- 

 mise contains the minor term. In hypo- 

 thetical syllogisms, the categorical pre- 

 mise is called the minor. 



MIN'STRELS, Germ, minne, love. A class 

 of men, in the middle ages, who subsisted 

 by the arts of poetry and music. 



MINT, Sax. mynet, stamped coin. The 

 place where money is coined by public 

 authority. Formerly there were several 

 mints in Great Britain; but coining being 

 now regarded as a royal prerogative, the 

 whole business has been transferred to 

 an establishment on lower Hill, where 

 there are eight, coining presses, capable 

 of striking about 20,000 pieces an hour, 

 almost constantly at work See MILLING. 



MINUET', Fr. from menu, small. 1. A 

 slow graceful dance, consisting of a eou- 

 pee, 2 high step, and a balance. - 2. The 

 tune or air played to regulate the move- 

 ments in the minuet. 



MIN'UTE, Lat. minutum. A small por- 

 tion (I.) of time, the sixtieth part of an 

 hour, and comprehends sixty seconds. (2.) 

 Of an arc, the sixtieth part of a degree, 

 mark ', and comprehending sixty seconds. 

 3. In architecture, the sixtieth part of the 

 diameter of a column. 



MIN'UTE GUNS. At sea, guns fired every 

 minute as a signal of distress from a 

 vessel. Also, in mourning for great 

 persons. 



MINX. A name of the Miistela leuteo- 

 cephala, Harl. A North American animal, 

 known to furriers by the name of whitt 



. 

 MIOCENE, from [tua,, less, and 



2 I 2 



