miniatura
/minjaˈtuɾa/
The Spanish phrase for thumbnail image is miniatura.
A thumbnail image is a small version of a larger image used to provide a quick preview. You can use the word miniatura on its own to refer to a thumbnail, or use the more complete phrase imagen en miniatura to say 'thumbnail image'.
What does it mean word for word?
The word miniatura literally means 'miniature'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun miniatura is feminine, so you would use the feminine article una to say 'a thumbnail' (una miniatura). To talk about more than one, the plural form is miniaturas.
How do you pronounce it?
/minjaˈtuɾa/
Did you know?
- The word miniatura shares a common ancestor with the English word 'miniature', as both stem from the Latin 'minium', which refers to a red lead pigment used by medieval scribes.
- In the context of social media and YouTube in Spanish, the word miniatura is often shortened to mini in casual digital slang.
- In Spanish, miniatura is used not only for digital images but also to describe the hobby of collecting and painting tiny figures.
Examples in context
- Haz clic en la miniatura para ver la foto.Click on the thumbnail to see the photo.
- Esa miniatura es demasiado pequeña.That thumbnail is too small.
- Necesito cambiar la miniatura de este video.I need to change the thumbnail of this video.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a digital photo album.
- SofíaMira esta miniatura, ¡qué paisaje tan bonito!Look at this thumbnail, what a beautiful landscape!
- JavierTienes razón, abre la imagen completa.You are right, open the full image.
- SofíaYa la abrí, los colores son increíbles.I already opened it, the colors are incredible.
- JavierEs mucho mejor que ver solo la miniatura.It is much better than seeing only the thumbnail.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry miniatura, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries miniatura, CC BY-SA 4.0.
