minutes: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
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Quick answer
What does “minutes” mean?
A period of time equal to sixty seconds.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A period of time equal to sixty seconds; a unit for measuring time.
The official written record of what was said and decided at a formal meeting; also refers to a very small or detailed amount (e.g., 'in minute detail').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meanings. The process of 'taking minutes' (recording meeting notes) is identical. Spelling: 'minutes' is standard in both.
Connotations
Identical. The formal meeting record is a standard concept in both administrative and corporate cultures.
Frequency
Both senses are extremely high-frequency in all registers in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “minutes” in a Sentence
The meeting lasted for X minutes.She took the minutes.The minutes of the last meeting were approved.It happened just minutes ago.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “minutes” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Could you minute the key action points, please?
- Her contribution was minuted for future reference.
American English
- I will minute the board's resolution.
- The dissent was not minuted in the final document.
adverb
British English
- N/A (The adverbial form related to 'minute' is 'minutely', not 'minutes').
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- A minute examination of the data revealed an error.
- The sculpture had minute details only visible under a lens.
American English
- There's a minute difference between the two models.
- He paid minute attention to the instructions.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Essential for corporate governance. 'The secretary will circulate the draft minutes by Friday.'
Academic
Used in administrative contexts (committee meetings). Also in historical research ('the minutes of the 19th-century society').
Everyday
Primarily for telling time or referring to short durations. 'The bus comes every ten minutes.'
Technical
In precise time measurement (scientific, sporting, logistical). 'The reaction completes in 3.5 minutes.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “minutes”
- *I will minute the meeting. (Incorrect if meaning 'wait for a short time'; correct as verb 'to record minutes').
- Confusing 'minute' (time) with 'minute' (tiny).
- Using singular 'minute' for the meeting record: *Please read the minute.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in modern usage it is treated as a plural-only noun. We say 'the minutes are approved', not 'the minutes is approved'.
The 'agenda' is a list of topics to be discussed in a future meeting. The 'minutes' are the official written record of what was actually said and decided in a past meeting.
Yes. 'To minute' something means to record it in the official minutes of a meeting (e.g., 'The chair's statement was minuted').
It is pronounced /maɪˈnjuːt/ (my-NOOT), with the stress on the second syllable, unlike the noun 'minute' (/ˈmɪnɪt/), which has stress on the first syllable.
A period of time equal to sixty seconds.
Minutes is usually neutral in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “up-to-the-minute”
- “at the last minute”
- “wait a minute!”
- “this minute”
- “the minute (that)...”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
MINutes of a meeting are a MINiature record of what was said.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A RESOURCE (to spend, waste, save minutes); A RECORD IS A CONTAINER (minutes contain decisions).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'minutes' used to refer to the record of a meeting?