minute
MIH-niht
Minute (noun) means a unit of time equal to sixty seconds, or one sixtieth of an hour. Example: “The bus was only one minute late, so we still caught the train.”
noun
1
A unit of time equal to sixty seconds, or one sixtieth of an hour.
"The bus was only one minute late, so we still caught the train."
"Wait a minute, I'll be right there."
"The meeting lasted only twenty minutes."
2
A written record of what was discussed or decided at a meeting (usually plural: minutes).
"Someone has to take the minutes at tomorrow's committee meeting."
"Please read the minutes before the next meeting so we can approve them."
"The secretary read out the minutes from last week's meeting."
adj
1
(pronounced differently, my-NEWT) Extremely small, or extremely detailed and careful.
"The scientist examined minute traces of dust under a powerful microscope."
"He noticed a minute change in the colour of the paint."
"She went over the contract in minute detail before signing."
How to use minute
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sixty-second stretch of time, the official notes from a meeting, or (with a different stress/pronunciation) "extremely small or detailed."
Common mistake
Same spelling, two very different pronunciations depending on meaning — MIN-it (time) vs. my-NEWT (tiny/detailed).
Common pairings
wait a minute
minute detail
take the minutes
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Word forms
- Plural
- minutes
- Third person singular
- minutes
- Past tense
- minuted
- Comparative
- minuter, more minute
- Superlative
- minutest, most minute
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The bus was only one _____ late, so we still caught the train.
Etymology
From Old French minute, from Medieval Latin minuta ("a small part, sixtieth"), tied to the same root as "minus."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for minute
See all rhymes for 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.
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