Mínimes

Mínimes is a plural form found in several Romance-language spellings as the plural of a root meaning minimum or smallest. The word and its exact plural form vary by language, reflecting different orthographic conventions for conveying the idea of “the least” or “the smallest.” In practice, mínimes appears mainly in cross-language texts, dictionaries, or translations rather than as a standard term in English-language mathematics, music, or philosophy.

In linguistic and lexical contexts, mínimes is used to indicate multiple instances of a minimum value or a minimal element within a set, function, or context. Depending on the language, the corresponding singular and plural forms may be mínim, mínimo, minimum, minima, or minime, and accent placement can differ. Because of these variations, mínimes is typically encountered when presenting terms side by side in multilingual references.

In music notation, the standard term for the short duration between a whole note and a quarter note is the minim (British English) or half note (American English). The plural English form is minims. Some multilingual scores or translations may render related terms differently, but mínimes is not a common or preferred plural in English-language music notation.

Overall, mínimes functions mainly as a cross-language plural form tied to the concept of minimum or smallest, with usage largely dependent on language and context. See also: minimum, minima, minim, minime, minims.