Minuscule

Minuscule, or lower case, is the smaller form (case) of letters (in the Roman alphabet: a, b, c, ...). Originally alphabets were written entirely in majuscule (capital) letters which were spaced between well-defined upper and lower bounds. When written quickly with a pen, these tended to rounder and simpler forms, like uncials. It is from these that the first minuscule hands developed, the half-uncials and cursive minuscule, which no longer stay bound between a pair of lines.

Related Topics:
Case - Letter - Roman alphabet - Alphabet - Majuscule - Pen - Uncial - Half-uncial

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These in turn formed the foundations for carolingian minuscule, developed by Alcuin for use in the court of Charlemagne, which quickly spread across Europe. Here for the first time it became common to mix both majuscule and minuscule letters in a single text.

Related Topics:
Carolingian minuscule - Alcuin - Charlemagne

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Note: The word itself is often spelt miniscule, by association with the unrelated word miniature and the prefix mini. This is traditionally regarded as a spelling mistake, but is now so common that dictionaries tend to accept it as a spelling variation. However, miniscule is still less likely to be used for minuscule letters.

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