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minute
Definition
A minute is a unit of time equal to 60 seconds. It is the 60th part of an hour.
There are 60 minutes in an hour, 1,440 minutes in a day, and 525,600 minutes in a year.
Minutes are used to measure short periods of time. For example, we might say that a song is two minutes long, or that a class period is 45 minutes long.
How can the word be used?
The meeting lasted for 60 minutes.
Different forms of the word
Noun: A unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60 of an hour.
Adjective: Very small or insignificant.
Verb: To write down or record in detail.
Etymology
The word “minute” has two etymologies, one for its meaning as a unit of time and another for its meaning as something very small.
The word “minute” as a unit of time comes from the Latin word “minuta,” which means “small.” This is because the ancient Romans divided the hour into 60 minutes, which they considered to be a very small unit of time.
The word “minute” as something very small comes from the Latin word “minuere,” which means “to lessen or diminish.” This is because something that is minute is very small and insignificant.
The word “minute” was first used in English in the 14th century. It originally had both meanings, but the meaning as a unit of time became more common in the 17th century.
Question
What is a minute?