minute hand

American  

[min-it] / ˈmɪn ɪt /

noun

1. the hand that indicates the minutes on a clock or watch, usually longer than the hour hand.

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minute hand British  

/ ˈmɪnɪt /

noun

1. the pointer on a timepiece that indicates minutes, typically the longer hand of two Compare hour hand second hand

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Etymology

Origin of minute hand

First recorded in 1720–30

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

minute hand

As I push the minute hand back and forth, it feels like I am rewinding time, back to the early 1960s when the portrait was made, then fast-forwarding it to now.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2025

This hasn’t traditionally been the American way; here, more trains run at rush hour than at lunchtime, at random times that seem derived from engineers spinning the minute hand upstairs.

From Slate ● May 5, 2025

The 62-year-old also explained how the clock keeps its time during the year despite the forces of gravity on the minute hand.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2024

In 1991, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, which marked an official end to the Cold War, the minute hand was pushed back to a reassuring 17 minutes.

From Salon ● Feb. 5, 2023

He glances at the wall clock and waits until the minute hand wobbles forward.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

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