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minute

n. countable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈmɪnət// minute Archaic Dialect Informal Slang

n. a unit of time that lasts sixty seconds. There are sixty of these in one hour.

n. a unit of time equal to sixty seconds, or one-sixtieth of an hour. Often used to denote a brief, unspecified period of time.


SIMPLE

The train leaves in exactly one minute.

CONTEXTUAL

Please wait just a minute while I finish typing this email and save my work.

COMPLEX

The presentation was timed to the minute to ensure that every speaker had an equal opportunity to address the board before the lunch break.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English mynute, minute, mynet, from Old French minute, from Medieval Latin minūta (“60th of an hour; note”). Doublet of menu and menudo.

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Latin minūtus (“small", "petty”), perfect passive participle of minuō (“make smaller”).

Usage

Commonly used in the plural ('minutes') to refer to the official written record of a meeting.

Pitfall

I will be there in a few minutes laterI will be there in a few minutesWhen using 'in' to show future time, do not add 'later' at the end of the phrase.

Idioms8 entries

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