The Difference Between Minute and Minute

It may seem like I used the same word twice, but there’s one minute difference, and I’m going to show you in a minute.

Pronunciation (and definition. So there’s two differences, but that’s not as catchy).

Minute, pronounced /ˈminət/ is a unit of time. Ya know, there’s sixty of these in an hour. Longer then a second, shorter then an hour, but can feel longer then hour and shorter then a second.

Minute, on the another hand, is pronounced /mīˈno͞ot/. It means a small, tiny, or insignificant detail, difference, change, etc. It’s a unit of size and difference, technically, while the other is a unit of time.

There’s also a lesser-known third definition. Minute (/ˈminət/ ) is often used in business contexts when referring to meetings. As a noun, the plural form is used to reference the summary or record of the meeting. Whoever was designated record-keeper will have, or should have, made notes about the topics discussed and outcome/agreement/what-have-you of those discussions.

This small, but mighty word can also function as a verb in these business contexts. The designated record-keeper may be said to “minute the discussions of each meeting.”

Crazy, huh? Not as crazy as the word run. That one gives all other words a run for their money with how many definitions and uses it hogs for itself.

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