minute

noun

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 Learn More about minute

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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

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Prosecutors have alleged that Ochoa-Lopez, a mother of a young child who was nine months pregnant, reached out and touched the nose of the family dog as Figueroa, sitting atop her, took an agonizing four to five minutes to strangle her with a cable. — Tribune Staff, chicagotribune.com, "Baby cut from womb of teenaged mother Marlen Ochoa-Lopez dies," 14 June 2019 With little more than two minutes left in the third quarter, Thompson leaped for a dunk attempt, drew contact from Toronto guard Danny Green and, while the ball clanged off the rim, landed awkwardly. — Connor Letourneau, SFChronicle.com, "Warriors’ season over: Klay Thompson tears ACL in Game 6 loss to Raptors," 14 June 2019 The Morning Buzz’s Luau on the Lake sold out in less than 10 minutes this year and sets sail on June 27. — Allen Lessels, BostonGlobe.com, "Seeing Lake Winnipesaukee from the M/S Mount Washington is a N.H. must-do," 13 June 2019 Kolstov was shot at 4:50 p.m. and pronounced dead at the scene less than 20 minutes later, according to Sarah Ardalani, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. — Maya Lau, latimes.com, "Utah man charged with murder in deaths of two men, including L.A. County deputy," 13 June 2019 Our highways are crumbling; our streets are riddled with potholes; traffic congestion is so bad that our commutes are measured in hours, not minutes; and housing prices are out of reach for most citizens. — Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, "Letter: State’s huge surplus doesn’t mean we have to create a new entitlement," 13 June 2019 His defensive rating of 105.2 was 11th among forwards who appeared in at least 41 games and played at least 30 minutes per contest. — Roy Parry, orlandosentinel.com, "Magic’s Aaron Gordon took big step as play-maker this season," 13 June 2019 Her goal capped a miserable afternoon for the Koreans which had gifted its opponent a 29th minute lead through Kim's own-goal. — James Masters, CNN, "France beats Norway at Women's World Cup after VAR controversy," 12 June 2019 The resting heart rate decreased on average by 10 beats per minute – with the anaerobic power and capacity improving by 16.7% and 17.3%, respectively. — Mackie Shilstone, nola.com, "Interval training beats continuous exercise to burn fat," 12 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

At its farm in Paterson, Wash., Lamb Weston grows half a dozen potato varieties on 20,000 irrigated acres, tracking even the most minute differences in hydration, temperature and other environmental factors. — Rachel Abrams, New York Times, "A French Fry Gets Soggy in 5 Minutes. This Company Wants to Keep It Crispy for 60.," 29 June 2018 Hobson did the same for each category, hunting down the minutest detail for each nominee. — John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, "Here's the Man Behind the Oscar Nomination Sequences," 23 Feb. 2015 At its farm in Paterson, Benton County, Lamb Weston grows half a dozen potato varieties on 20,000 irrigated acres, tracking even the most minute differences in hydration, temperature and other environmental factors. — Rachel Abrams, The Seattle Times, "Out of the fryer and into the Uber car: Idaho-based Lamb Weston trying to deliver crispy fries," 3 July 2018 Everything was thought out down to the most minute detail. — Steven J. Horowitz, Billboard, "Michelle Williams Explains How Destiny's Child Reunion Came Together For Beyonce's Coachella Performance," 24 Apr. 2018 In a grainy, minute-long video posted online by Lansdale police, the man is seen crossing North Broad Street and 7th Street. — Katie Park, Philly.com, "Police investigating the death of a popular Montgomery County barber want to know who this man is," 30 May 2018 Beginning with Frederick Taylor at the turn of the 20th century, management consultants have boosted output by analyzing and standardizing the most minute movements of their workers. — Eoin O'carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, "Can your boss make you wear a Fitbit?," 15 Mar. 2018 From self-lacing sneakers to chairs that park themselves at desks, high-tech conveniences have arrived to eliminate the minutest hassles of everyday life. — NBC News, "Watch these self-driving slippers park themselves at the push of a button," 13 Feb. 2018 Arguably the greatest singer of the 20th century, Callas — eerily, well, radiant in a white satiny gown and rich red stole — was recreated for the occasion, down to the minutest movements of her hands and the subtlest facial gestures. — Anthony Tommasini, New York Times, "What a Hologram of Maria Callas Can Teach Us About Opera," 15 Jan. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

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, "2017 in review: a year of expanding boundaries in dance," 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, "Borussia Dortmund 2-1 TSG Hoffenheim: Late Christian Pulisic Strike Seals Hard-Fought Win for BVB," 16 Dec. 2017 It wasn't meant to be followed on a day to day, minute to minute basis. — Danielle Ofri, Slate Magazine, "Should Doctors Treat Trump Anxiety?," 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, "Get Up Close and Personal With the World’s Top Classic Cars," 21 Aug. 2017 These include various breathing and visualization exercises, and also work with eye positions—based on the theory that different emotions correlate to minute variations in the direction of gaze. — Matthew Green, Newsweek, "A Radical New Therapy Could Treat the 'Untreatable' Victims of Trauma," 23 Mar. 2017

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.