minute

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

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.

1. Stage 1 · Medieval Latin · medieval minuta "small part", 'pars minuta prima', the first small part of an hour in Ptolemy's scheme.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval minute "small part; sixtieth", the second 'small part' became 'second'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s minute "sixtieth of an hour", 'minutes' of a meeting, a small draft, date from the 1500s.