The prefix "mini-" comes from the Latin word "minutus" meaning "small". It is commonly used in English language to indicate something small or miniature. Some synonyms for "mini-" include "tiny", "small", "compact", "little", "petite", "diminutive", "micro", "minute" and "pocket-sized". These words describe things that are smaller in size or scale compared to something else. For instance, a "miniature" version of a car would be smaller than the original. Similarly, a "small" toy or "pocket-sized" gadget would be easy to carry around. Using these synonyms can help add variation and precision to your vocabulary.