# minivan

> English word · Noun · frequency rank #26,886

## Definitions
1. A small van, especially (Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines) one primarily used for family transport.

## Etymology
From mini- + van. First widely used in the 1980s, when this class of vehicles became widely popular as an alternative to station wagons (estate cars). Attested earlier in technical usage, usually as mini-van.

## Easily confused with
- **minion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/minion-vs-minivan)
- **minimal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/minimal-vs-minivan)

## Common misspellings (10)
`imnivan`, `miinvan`, `miniavn`, `minivann`, `minivna`, `minivvan`, `minnivan`, `minvian`, `mminivan`, `mniivan`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/minivan