minute

noun

min·​ute ˈmi-nət 

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 minutes 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

I saw them a minute ago.

Dinner will be ready in a minute. [=very soon]

The ambulance arrived within 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.

see also:

any minute from minute to minute not for a minute this minute to the minute

Phrases

the minute

: as soon as

Please text me the minute you get home.

Synonyms of minute

• second
• moment
• heartbeat

Examples of minute in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

The 79th Tony Awards telecast kicked off with a bang by giving out two major awards in the first 30 minutes — and before viewers could blink both John Lithgow and Laurie Metcalf had each won the third Tony Award of their careers. —Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026

Wait for 30 minutes after the final lightning or thunder before heading outside again. —Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 June 2026

While Brooks initially told Groening the shorts would be about two minutes long, they were drastically whittled down. —Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026

The new study suggests that shifts in brain waves could play a hidden role in generating these benefits, and just a few minutes can start calming your brain. —Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 7 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing minute

• a laugh a minute
• a mile a minute
• any minute
• arc minute
• at a moment's/minute's notice
• (at) any minute (now)
• from minute to minute
• from one minute to the next
• half a minute/second
• have a minute/moment/second
• hold/hang on a minute
• in a New York minute
• just a minute/second/moment
• just this minute/second
• last minute
• minute by minute
• minute hand
• minute steak
• New York minute
• not for a minute
• not for a/one minute
• not for one minute
• on a moment's/minute's notice
• sidereal minute
• the last minute
• the minute
• there's a sucker born every minute
• there's one born every minute
• this minute
• to the minute
• up-to-the-minute
• wait a minute/moment/second
• wait/just a minute

Rhymes for minute

• linnet
• pinnate
• pinot

Kids Definition

minute

1 of 2 noun

min·​ute ˈmin-ət 

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

: moment sense 1

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

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 

: a 60th part of an hour of time or of a degree

Legal Definition

minute

noun

min·​ute ˈmi-nət 

1

: a brief note (as of summary or recommendation)

2

: memorandum sense 1

3

plural : the official record of the proceedings of a meeting or court