Minicomputer (noun)

A type of computer that is smaller and less powerful than a mainframe computer but larger and more powerful than a microcomputer.

Origin:

Formed after the pattern of mini-.

Examples:

1. The company's first computer was a minicomputer, used for data processing and accounting.
2. The minicomputer had less processing power than the mainframe, but was still capable of running complex calculations.
3. He was trained in the use of minicomputers, which were popular in the 1970s and 1980s.
4. The minicomputer was designed to be used by smaller businesses and research institutions.
5. The minicomputer was eventually replaced by more powerful microcomputers and later, personal computers.