Minimums

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The smallest amount or degree that is permissible or acceptable in various contexts
2. A baseline quantity that must be met or exceeded for compliance or effectiveness
3. The lowest level attainable in a specified measurement or criterion, often used in regulatory or performance standards

Etymology: "Minimums" is the plural of "minimum", so it is the plural of a Latin neuter form that simply meant "least" or "smallest". The Latin adjective "minimus" came from the same ancient root as "parvus" (small), and its neuter form "minimum" was taken into English as a learned borrowing, keeping the classical shape intact. The plural ending is the English one, added to a word that was itself a direct import from Latin. Because "minimum" was borrowed as a Latin neuter, English speakers later treated it as a regular noun, so "minimums" sits alongside the older Latin-style plural "minima" in general use.

Synonyms: least, lowest

Antonyms: maximums