minute
10 synonyms and 0 antonyms for minute, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A unit of time equal to sixty seconds, or one sixtieth of an hour.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use minute
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old French minute, from Medieval Latin minuta ("a small part, sixtieth"), tied to the same root as "minus."
Full origin of minute →Frequently asked questions
What does “minute” mean?
The word “minute” means a unit of time equal to sixty seconds, or one sixtieth of an hour. In plain terms, a sixty-second stretch of time, the official notes from a meeting, or (with a different stress/pronunciation) "extremely small or detailed.".
How do you pronounce “minute”?
“Minute” is pronounced MIH-niht (/ˈmɪnɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “minute” in a sentence?
Here is “minute” used in a sentence: “Wait a minute, I'll be right there.”
What part of speech is “minute”?
Depending on how it is used, “minute” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “minute” come from?
The word “minute” comes from Medieval Latin. From Old French minute, from Medieval Latin minuta ("a small part, sixtieth"), tied to the same root as "minus.".
Is “minute” a common word?
“Minute” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “minute” have?
“Minute” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a unit of time equal to sixty seconds, or one sixtieth of an hour.
How many seconds are in a minute?
A minute contains exactly sixty seconds. Sixty minutes, in turn, make one hour, so a minute is one sixtieth of an hour. This sixty-based counting comes from the ancient Babylonians, whose number system used sixty as a base and shaped how we still divide hours and time today.
What is the difference between a minute and a moment?
A minute is an exact unit — sixty seconds, measurable on any clock. A moment is vague and informal, meaning a very short but unspecified stretch of time. 'Wait a minute' and 'wait a moment' sound alike, but only the minute has a fixed, agreed length.
Does 'minute' have another meaning?
Yes. Spelled the same but pronounced my-NEWT, minute is an adjective meaning extremely small or tiny — 'a minute crack in the glass.' The plural 'minutes' also means the written record of a meeting. Context and pronunciation tell you which sense of this versatile word is meant.