a very small nation that is an internationally-recognized sovereign state
Also called: mini-state
microstate in American English
(ˈmaɪkroʊˌsteɪt)
noun
any very small nation
microstate in American English
(ˈmaikrouˌsteit)
noun
ministate
Word origin
[1965–70; micro- + state]This word is first recorded in the period 1965–70. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Coriolis effect, double-book, genetic engineering, hired gun, no-faultmicro- is a combining form with the meanings “small” (microcosm; microgamete), “very small in comparison with others of its kind” (microcomputer; microlith), “too small to be seen by the unaided eye” (microfossil; microorganism), “dealing with extremely minute organisms, organic structures, or quantities ofa substance” (microdissection; microscope), “localized, restricted in scope or area” (microburst; microhabitat), “(of a discipline) focusing on a restricted area” (microeconomics), “containing or dealing with texts that require enlargement to be read” (microfilm; microreader), “one millionth” (microgram)
Examples of 'microstate' in a sentence
microstate
The 8,000 people affected declared themselves a microstate in 1919, elected a president, and issued stamps and currency.