minutes

The word “minutes” means the official written record of what was said and decided at a meeting. In plain terms, the formal notes taken during a meeting, summarizing discussion and decisions.

“Minutes” is pronounced MIH-nihts (/ˈmɪnɪts/ in IPA).

Here is “minutes” used in a sentence: “Please send round the minutes from Tuesday's board meeting.”

“Minutes” is a noun.

“Minutes” is a very common word in modern English.

An agenda is prepared before a meeting and lists the topics to be discussed — it looks forward. Minutes are written during or after the meeting and record what was actually said, agreed and decided — they look back. The agenda plans the meeting; the minutes document what happened in it.

Good minutes record the date and place, who attended and who sent apologies, the main points discussed, the decisions reached, and the action points with the person responsible for each. They stay concise and factual, capturing outcomes rather than every word, so anyone can later see what was agreed and by whom.

Usually a secretary or a nominated minute-taker records them, noting decisions and actions while others focus on the discussion. In formal committees this is often an official role. The minutes are typically circulated afterwards and approved at the next meeting as an accurate record of what took place.

Minutes provide the official record of what a meeting decided, so there is no dispute later about what was agreed. They track who is responsible for each action, remind attendees of their commitments, and serve as a reference and, for many organisations, a formal governance or legal document.