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Glite Dictionary
minibus

minibus

4 2.7
A small bus that carries about four to ten people
  • noun
  • /ˈmɪnɪbəs/
translation icon : minibús
  • And to get from the door of the airport to the minibus that was going to take us to the hotel took about 40 minutes.

Examples

  • The tour company arranged for a comfortable minibus to transport the travelers around the city.

  • I might just stay on the minibus and wait for the return trip.

    Doghouse (2009)

  • An hour later, he arrived in time for the minibus taxi to the city.

    Blog text (17)

  • From the bus station in Lilongwe, take a minibus to Monkey Bay.

    Blog text (7)

  • Public transport is by minibus, crammed to the gunnels.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • We speed along dusty streets thronged with people who are shopping, visiting friends, and waiting for a minibus.

    Academic text (2010)

  • Funding: Negligible—Brunelcare provided a minibus to take students to and from the home and supplied drinks and snacks.

    Academic text (2011)

  • At about this time, a minibus from the Jabel Ali five-star hotel drops off about twenty Filipino and Indian waiters, all in white jackets, black pants, and white gloves.

    Academic text (2000)

  • The family hired a minibus to take them to the festival with plenty of room for their luggage.

  • After the concert, everyone piled into the minibus for a ride back to their hotel.

Synonyms

shuttle bus
vsminibus
7 2.3

A bus that runs regularly between two places, often between hotels and airports

is about vehicle size and passenger number rather than fixed-route service
microbus
vsminibus
1 4.1

A small bus that carries a few people for short trips

is defined by a precise four to ten passenger size range

How Big

coach
75 1.3
bus
∞ 1.0
minibus
4 2.7
minivan
  • US
80 1.9
car
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

minibus singular
minibuses plural

Morphology

minibus = bus (transparent) = mini + bus

The word 'minibus' is transparently derived from 'bus' with the prefix 'mini-' indicating a smaller version.

Etymology

Minibus comes from the parts mini- 'small' and bus, which is short for omnibus meaning 'for all'. So a minibus is simply a small bus used to carry a few passengers.