minimum |ˈminəməm|noun ( pl. -ma |-mə|or -mums ) [usu. in sing. ]the least or smallest amount or quantity possible, attainable, or required: technical difficulties have been kept to a minimum | they checked passports with the minimum of fuss.• the lowest or smallest amount of a varying quantity (e.g., temperature) allowed, attained, or recorded : clients with a minimum of $500,000 to invest | winter minima of -40 ° C have been recorded.• Mathematics a point at which a continuously varying quantity ceases to decrease and begins to increase; the value of a quantity at such a point.• Mathematics the smallest element in a set.adjective [ attrib. ]smallest or lowest : this can be done with the minimum amount of effort.PHRASESat a (or the) minimum at the very least : we zipped along at a minimum of 55 mph.ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from Latin, neuter of minimus ‘least.’