minute

noun

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min·ute | \ ˈmi-nət

Definition of minute

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : 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.

4a : 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

adjective

mi·nute | \ mī-ˈnüt

, mə-, -ˈnyüt \

minuter; minutest

Definition of minute (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : very small : infinitesimal

2 : of small importance : trifling

3 : marked by close attention to details

minute

verb

min·ute | \ ˈmi-nət

minuted; minuting

Definition of minute (Entry 3 of 3)

transitive verb

: to make notes or a brief summary of

Other Words from minute Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Phrases Containing minute Learn More About minute

Choose the Right Synonym for minute

Adjective

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 See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Definitely, that final minute, those final minutes ate me alive. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 14 May 2022 Back in April, Oreo showed its allyship by dropping a two and a half minute short film in support of the LGBTQ+ community. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, 11 May 2022 According to the United Nations, 23 hectares of arable land are lost to drought and desertification every minute, and studies have found that aridity affects 40% of agricultural soil. — Rebecca Cairns, CNN, 8 May 2022 Both fighters made unsuccessful attempts at taking each other down, and as the fight went into its final minute, boos rained down on the octagon. — José M. Romero, The Arizona Republic, 7 May 2022 Toni Kroos appeared to age several decades with every passing minute. — New York Times, 26 Apr. 2022 That is the equivalent of dumping two garbage trucks full of plastic into the ocean every minute. — Jennifer Lee, Forbes, 22 Apr. 2022 Roseanne Barr was under attack at the Hollywood Palladium, and the capacity audience was enjoying every minute. — Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2022 Every minute, an average of 55 children flee Ukraine, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said Wednesday in Geneva. — NBC News, 16 Mar. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Eating the food confirmed a heap of differences, which meant the models had become a kind of growing physical archive of Japanese cuisine, documenting minute regional differences with every new custom order. — New York Times, 20 Apr. 2022 This is how minute the differences from one house to the other can feel throughout. — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2022 While there was initial speculation that material released by Hunga Tonga could have a similar effect, some experts were quick to point to the magnitude of its release being simply too comparatively minute. — Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2022 The awkwardness of their early interactions make up the beginnings of blood, which relishes the minute details of people getting to know one another. — Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Jan. 2022 That’s crucial when multi-minute exposures could risk his life. — Wes Siler, Outside Online, 25 Jan. 2019 The kind of faithful customers who knew the menu by heart, who knew when any alterations were made to a dish, no matter how minute. — Washington Post, 6 Dec. 2021 Because judges are the arbiters of any restrictions, though, enormous resources are devoted to the minute scrutiny of irrelevant technicalities. — Samuel Goldman, The Week, 2 Sep. 2021 Her firm helps clients such as Target and Amazon measure consumer sentiment toward new products and concepts, including how the minute details of packaging design influence shoppers’ thoughts and choices. — Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 22 Nov. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Rosters change from hour to hour and minute to minute as players enter or leave the NBA’s health and safety protocols. — Helene Elliott, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2021 The first aspects of the Golden Door approach will be visible starting in January 2022 on SQ 37, the carrier’s Los Angeles to Singapore 17 hour/50 minute nonstop, and progressively added to New York and San Francisco nonstops in the second quarter. — Laurie Werner, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2021 Extremely disturbing is that many of these pesticides have active ingredients that are highly toxic to bees, and also to minute pirate bugs, lacewings and predatory mites or spiders that help us in our fight against this and other pests. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2021 That kind of dynamism where people are making the decisions minute to minute whether to work simply does not exist in the traditional employment framework. — Carolyn Said, SFChronicle.com, 11 July 2019 The turn of Slender-White’s head or the flick of Burns’ hand drew intense scrutiny, and the mind reeled at artists who would devote themselves to creating so minute a masterwork. — Claudia Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Dec. 2017 Hoffenheim came out the better in the second half and played some exceptional football in this match, however in the 62nd minute their good work was undone when defender Stefan Posch brought down Kagawa in the box, and Dortmund had a penalty. — SI.com, 16 Dec. 2017 It wasn't meant to be followed on a day to day, minute to minute basis. — Danielle Ofri, Slate Magazine, 19 Jan. 2017 A 1929 Mercedes-Benz S Barker Tourer took first prize overall at the annual event, winning top honors for its owner’s dedication to minute details of authenticity and provenance. — Hannah Elliott, Bloomberg.com, 21 Aug. 2017 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'minute.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.