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Minute

3 stages from Medieval Latin to English.

Today it means a period of sixty seconds

Where does the word "minute" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin minuta, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

minuta→minute→minute

Medieval Latin · medieval

'pars minuta prima', the first small part of an hour in Ptolemy's scheme

Old French · medieval

"small part; sixtieth"

the second 'small part' became 'second'

English · 1300s

"sixtieth of an hour"

'minutes' of a meeting, a small draft, date from the 1500s

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Read the full story

Minute’s story begins in Medieval Latin: minuta meant “small part.” 'pars minuta prima', the first small part of an hour in Ptolemy's scheme. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as minute. The second 'small part' became 'second'. It reached English by 1300s as minute. 'minutes' of a meeting, a small draft, date from the 1500s. Today, minute means a period of sixty seconds.