minute1

Pronunciation: /ˈmɪnɪt/

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Definition of minute

noun

1a period of time equal to sixty seconds or a sixtieth of an hour:we waited for twenty minutes I’ll be there in ten minutes' time
the distance covered in a minute by someone driving or walking:the hotel is situated just ten minutes from the centre of the resort
informal a very short time:come and sit down for a minute
a point in time:she was laughing one minute and crying the next

2 (also arc minute or minute of arc) a sixtieth of a degree of angular measurement (symbol: ʹ): Delta Lyrae is a double star with a separation of over 10 minutes of arc

Phrases

any minute (or at any minute): very soon: a fight seemed likely to break out at any minute
at the minute: British informal at the present time: I’ve got things on my mind at the minute
by the minute: very rapidly:matters grew worse by the minute
just (or wait) a minute
the minute (or the minute that): as soon as: let me know the minute he returns
not for a minute: not at all:he didn’t fool me for a minute
this minute (or this very minute)

Origin:

late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin minuta, feminine (used as a noun) of minutus 'made small'. The senses 'period of sixty seconds' and 'sixtieth of a degree' derive from medieval Latin pars minuta prima 'first minute part'

minute in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of minute in the US English dictionary

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Other

minute1

noun

Phrases

any minute (or at any minute)

at the minute

by the minute

just (or wait) a minute

the minute (or the minute that)

not for a minute

this minute (or this very minute)

Origin:

minute in other Oxford dictionaries

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