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

Example Sentences

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

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

Those were provided, and we watched the minute hand slink toward 8.

From Slate • Nov. 3, 2023

Every year, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists convenes a meeting to decide whether the minute hand of its famous Doomsday Clock will move forward, backward or stay put.

From Salon • Feb. 5, 2023

The minute hand on her grandfather clock ticks another notch toward the top of the hour.

From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse