word-forming element meaning "miniature, minor," abstracted from miniature, with sense perhaps influenced by minimum. The vogue for mini- as a prefix in English word coinage dates from c. 1960; minicam for "miniature camera" (1937) is an early use.
Entries linking to mini-
miniature n.
1580s, "a reduced image, anything represented on a greatly reduced scale," especially a painting of very small dimensions, from Italian miniatura "manuscript illumination or small picture," from past participle of miniare "to illuminate a manuscript," from Latin miniare "to paint red," from minium "red lead," used in ancient times to make red ink, a word said to be of Iberian origin. Sense development is because pictures in medieval manuscripts were small, but no doubt there was influence as well from the similar-sounding Latin words that express smallness: minor, minimus, minutus, etc.
minimum n.
1660s, "smallest portion into which matter is divisible," a sense now obsolete, from Latin minimum "smallest" (thing), neuter of minimus "smallest, least," superlative of minor "smaller" (from PIE root *mei- (2) "small"). Meaning "smallest amount or degree, least amount attainable" is from 1670s.