MINUTE Definition & Meaning

View synonyms for

minute

[ min-it ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the sixtieth part (1/60) of an hour; sixty seconds.
an indefinitely short space of time:
Wait a minute!
Synonyms: ,
an exact point in time; instant; moment:
Come here this minute!
minutes, the official record of the proceedings at a meeting of a society, committee, or other group.
Chiefly British. a written summary, note, or memorandum.
a rough draft, as of a document.
Geometry. the sixtieth part of a degree of angular measure, often represented by the sign ′, as in 12° 10′, which is read as 12 degrees and 10 minutes. Compare angle ¹( def 1c ).

verb (used with object)

minuted, minuting.

to time exactly, as movements or speed.
to make a draft of (a document or the like).
to record in a memorandum; note down.
to enter in the minutes of a meeting.

adjective

prepared in a very short time:
minute pudding.

minute

[ mahy-noot, -nyoot, mi- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

minuter, minutest.

extremely small, as in size, amount, extent, or degree:
minute differences.
Synonyms: , ,
Antonyms:
of minor importance; insignificant; trifling.
attentive to or concerned with even the smallest details:
a minute examination.
Synonyms: , ,
Antonyms: ,

minute

/ ˈ��ɪ��ɪ�� /

noun

a period of time equal to 60 seconds; one sixtieth of an hour
Also calledminute of arc a unit of angular measure equal to one sixtieth of a degree ′
any very short period of time; moment
a short note or memorandum
the distance that can be travelled in a minute
it's only two minutes away
up to the minute
up-to-the-minute when prenominal very latest or newest

verb

to record in minutes
to minute a meeting
to time in terms of minutes

minute

/ ��ɪˈ��ː�� /

adjective

very small; diminutive; tiny
unimportant; petty
precise or detailed
a minute examination

minute

A unit of time equal to 1 60 of an hour or 60 seconds.
◆ A sidereal minute is 1 60 of a sidereal hour, and a mean solar minute is 1 60 of a mean solar hour.
See more at sidereal time
A unit of angular measurement, such as longitude or right ascension, that is equal to 1 60 of a degree or 60 seconds.

Discover More

Derived Forms

��ˈ�Գܳٱ�Ա��, noun

Discover More

Other 51�Թ� Forms

�ܲ�·��·�ܳ�·�� adjective

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of minute¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, Middle French, from Medieval Latin ��ū�ٲ�, noun use of feminine of ��ū�ٳܲ� minute ²

Origin of minute²

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin ��ū�ٳܲ� (past participle of minuere “to make smaller or fewer”), equivalent to ��ū- verb stem + -tus past participle suffix; minus, minor

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of minute¹

C14: from Old French from Medieval Latin ��ū�ٲ�, n. use of Latin ��ū�ٳܲ� minute ²

Origin of minute²

C15: from Latin ��ū�ٳܲ�, past participle of minuere to diminish

Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

up to the minute, modern; up-to-date:
The building design is up to the minute.

More idioms and phrases containing minute

see at the last minute ; every minute counts ; just a minute ; mile a minute ; wait a minute .

Discover More

Synonym Study

Minute, instant, moment refer to small amounts of time. A minute, properly denoting 60 seconds, is often used loosely for any very short space of time (and may be interchangeable with second ): I'll be there in just a minute. An instant is practically a point in time, with no duration, though it is also used to mean a perceptible amount of time: not an instant's delay. Moment denotes much the same as instant, though with a somewhat greater sense of duration (but somewhat less than minute ): It will only take a moment.

See little.

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Englishman Draper won the first set in just 25 minutes.

From

A minute never goes by without Cage’s circumstances getting worse.

From

Gauff, 21, had never beaten her Polish opponent on clay before but took just 64 minutes to dispatch the world number two.

From

Rarely has Crypto.com Arena been as quiet while a playoff game was being played as it was Wednesday in the final minute of a 103-96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

From

It all bothers me, every minute of every day.

From

Related 51�Թ�s

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

minus sign minute gun

Browse