subminiature

English

Etymology

sub- +‎ miniature

Adjective

subminiature (not comparable)

1. Compact or smaller than miniature.
   • 1952 March, Leonard Engel, “Little Gadget with a Large Future”, in Harper's Magazine, volume 204, number 1222, page 57:

     Vacuum tubes and other circuit components have been produced in miniature and subminiature versions.

2. (photography) of photography equipment and techniques using a smaller frame than 35mm
   • 1964 November, “Minolta Hi-matic 7”, in Sunset, page 136:

     Other Minolta cameras from $27 to $270, including subminiature, "snapshot," 35mm rangefinder and single lens reflex models...

Noun

subminiature (plural subminiatures)

1. Any item smaller than that considered miniature, especially electronic and electromechanical devices
   • 1948 April, “Sounds Good to Her: Raytheon CK510AX”, in Electronics, volume 21, number 4, page 143:

     One of these Raytheon Subminiatures takes the place of two old style tubes and its small size results in lower microphonics.

2. A subminiature camera, generally with a frame smaller than 35mm
   • 1958 September, “10 ways to dramatize the ordinary”, in Popular Photography, volume 3, number 45, page 60:

     The popularity of today’s wide-angle lenses and the subminiatures with their inherently great depth of field testify to the success of this technique.

French

subminiature (plural subminiatures)

1. subminiature

   1955 May, A. Danzin, P. Aigran, J. P. Vasseur, “Les Éléments non linéaires sont voie de modifier l'électronique”, in Annales de Radio Electricité, volume 10, number 41, page 218:

   Les circuits imprimés permettant de réaliser en grande série de montages subminiatures économiques et identiques entre eux.

   Printed circuits allow mass production of subminiature assemblies that are economical and all identical.