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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Minute Definition: Time Unit & Tiny Size Explained (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：60 seconds (minute)

minute 🔊

/ˈmɪnɪt/ (n.), /maɪˈnjuːt/ (adj.)

n., adj.

A period of time equal to 60 seconds.

60 seconds 🔊

➕

/ˈsɪksti ˈsɛkəndz/

n., adj.

A unit of time equal to 60 seconds, used to measure short durations.

📁 Category：Time & Dates 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'minutus' (small). Time unit from 'pars minuta prima' (first small part).

💡 Mnemonic

For the adjective: think of a 'minute' speck. For the noun: the minute hand ticks 60 seconds.

📖 Example

She ran to catch the bus, arriving with only a minute to spare. 🔊 She ran to catch the bus and arrived with only a minute to spare.

🔗 Collocations

in a minute – very soon; within 60 seconds

minute hand – the long hand on a clock that indicates minutes

last minute – the final moments before a deadline

🔄 Synonyms

moment (n.) – a very brief period of time

instant (n.) – a very short moment, often used interchangeably with minute

sixty seconds (n.) – the exact duration of a minute

🚫 Antonyms

hour (n.) – a unit of time equal to 60 minutes

eternity (n.) – an infinite or very long period of time

🌱 Derivatives

minutely (adv.) – every minute; in a minute manner

📖 Cultural Story

The noun 'minute' dates from medieval Latin pars minuta prima, the 'first small part' of an hour. The adjective derives directly from Latin minutus (small), both from minuere (to lessen).

Meaning 2：extremely small (minute)

minute 🔊

/ˈmɪnɪt/ (n.), /maɪˈnjuːt/ (adj.)

n., adj.

Extremely small or tiny.

Minute details of sand grain under magnifying glass

extremely small 🔊

➕

/ɪkˈstriːmli smɔːl/

n., adj.

Describes something so small that it is difficult to see or almost unnoticeable.

📁 Category：Objects & Materials 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

He found a minute crack in the antique vase that was almost invisible to the naked eye. 🔊 He found a very tiny crack in the antique vase that was almost invisible to the naked eye.

🔗 Collocations

minute detail – a very small, specific piece of information

minute particles – extremely tiny pieces of matter

minute difference – a difference that is very slight and hard to detect

🔄 Synonyms

tiny (adj.) – very small in size

minuscule (adj.) – extremely small; tiny

microscopic (adj.) – so small as to be visible only with a microscope

🚫 Antonyms

huge (adj.) – extremely large

enormous (adj.) – very large in size or amount

colossal (adj.) – extremely large

🌱 Derivatives

minuteness (n.) – the quality of being extremely small

minutely (adv.) – in a very small or detailed way