The sixtieth part of an hour. In early use frequently †minute of an hour (obsolete).

The duration of a minute.

(a) the space of a minute, a very short space of time; (b) regular brief rising of the level of water in a river, causing transient flooding of…

Chiefly colloquial except as a written abbreviation: = minute, n.1 6a (frequently representing the plural).

As a unit of time. scruple of an hour: the sixtieth part of an hour, a minute: more fully first scruple, the successive smaller fractions of the…

Of various English words. In form m. Minute (of arc or of time); cf. rpm n. at R, n. initialisms 1, w.p.m. n. at W, n. initialisms.