minuscule (n.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict[minuscule 词源字典]
1705, "small (not capital) letter;" as an adjective, "small," from 1727 (in printing; general sense of "extremely small" by 1893), from French minuscule (17c.), from Latin minuscula, in minuscula littera "slightly smaller letter," fem. of minusculus "rather less, rather small," diminutive of minus "less" (see minus). Related: Minuscular.[minuscule etymology, minuscule origin, 英语词源]