minute

1 of 3

noun

min·​ute ˈmi-nət How to pronounce minute (audio)
1
a
: the 60th part of an hour of time : 60 seconds
b
: the 60th part of a degree of angular measure
Its latitude is 41 degrees 55 minute north.
2
: the distance one can traverse in a minute
Five minutes down the road is a gas station.
3
: a short space of time : moment
Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes.
4
a
: a brief note (as of summary or recommendation)
He received a minute of instructions.
b
: memorandum, draft
sent the president a minute explaining the problem
c
minutes plural : the official record of the proceedings of a meeting
The secretary read the minutes of the previous meeting.

minute

2 of 3

adjective

mi·​nute mī-ˈnüt How to pronounce minute (audio)
mə-,
-ˈnyüt
minuter; minutest
1
: very small : infinitesimal
2
: of small importance : trifling
3
: marked by close attention to details
minuteness noun

minute

3 of 3

verb

min·​ute ˈmi-nət How to pronounce minute (audio)
minuted; minuting

transitive verb

: to make notes or a brief summary of
Choose the Right Synonym for minute

small, little, diminutive, minute, tiny, miniature mean noticeably below average in size.

small and little are often interchangeable, but small applies more to relative size determined by capacity, value, number.

a relatively small backyard

little is more absolute in implication often carrying the idea of petiteness, pettiness, insignificance, or immaturity.

your pathetic little smile

diminutive implies abnormal smallness.

diminutive bonsai plants

minute implies extreme smallness.

a minute amount of caffeine in the soda

tiny is an informal equivalent to minute.

tiny cracks formed in the painting

miniature applies to an exactly proportioned reproduction on a very small scale.

a dollhouse with miniature furnishings

circumstantial, minute, particular, detailed mean dealing with a matter fully and usually point by point.

circumstantial implies fullness of detail that fixes something described in time and space.

a circumstantial account of our visit

minute implies close and searching attention to the smallest details.

a minute examination of a fossil

particular implies a precise attention to every detail.

a particular description of the scene of the crime

detailed stresses abundance or completeness of detail.

a detailed analysis of the event

Examples of minute in a Sentence

Noun Bake the cake for 25–30 minutes. We waited for several minutes, but no one came to the door. I saw him a minute ago. Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes. One minute it was sunny, the next it was pouring rain. My house is just a few minutes from here. The secretary read the minutes of the last meeting. Adjective There were minute particles of dust in the air. The test detected minute amounts of contamination. The equipment is able to detect the minutest errors. She told him what happened in minute detail. a minute examination of the evidence
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
And the average wait time in 2022 was actually three minutes and sometimes got down to two minutes. CBS News, 20 Oct. 2024 The Station House Inn is located in South Lake Tahoe, just a few minutes from Heavenly Ski Resort, one of the best ski resorts in Lake Tahoe with 97 trails and 4,800 skiable acres. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 20 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Across the 20-or-so minute conversation, the Haitian-American star re-emphasized her hurt following former president Donald Trump’s claims that Haitian immigrants were eating pets in Springfield, Ohio while debating Harris on ABC News on Sept. 10. Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 Judge work based on results and goals achieved rather than minute oversight of process nuances. Jonathan H. Westover, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for minute 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'minute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Middle French, from Late Latin minuta, from Latin minutus small, from past participle of minuere to lessen — more at minor

Adjective

Latin minutus

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of minute was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near minute

Cite this Entry

“Minute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minute. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

minute

1 of 2 noun
min·​ute ˈmin-ət How to pronounce minute (audio)
1
a
: the 60th part of an hour of time
b
: the 60th part of a degree of angular measure
2
: the distance one can cover in a minute
3
4
plural : a brief record of what went on in a meeting

minute

2 of 2 adjective
mi·​nute
mī-ˈn(y)üt,
mə-
1
: very small : tiny
2
: of small importance : petty
3
: marked by close attention to details
minutely adverb
minuteness noun
Etymology

Noun

Middle English minute "1/60 part of an hour," from early French minute (same meaning), from Latin minuta (same meaning), from minutus "small" — related to menu see Word History at menu

Medical Definition

minute

noun
min·​ute ˈmin-ət How to pronounce minute (audio)
: a 60th part of an hour of time or of a degree

Legal Definition

minute

noun
min·​ute ˈmi-nət How to pronounce minute (audio)
1
: a brief note (as of summary or recommendation)
2
3
plural : the official record of the proceedings of a meeting or court

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