minutes

British  

/ ˈmɪnɪts /

plural noun

1. an official record of the proceedings of a meeting, conference, convention, etc

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Explanation

Minutes are notes that are taken at a meeting and often distributed to participants. Often, the secretary of an organization or club is the person who gets stuck taking the minutes. The best minutes provide a summary of the most important items that were discussed during a meeting. Parent-teacher organizations, city councils, and court hearings all include someone who takes minutes. In the case of a hearing, every single word spoken in the courtroom, unless specifically excluded by the judge, is included in the minutes. The Latin root of minutes is minuta scriptura, "rough notes," or "small writing."

Example Sentences

When it does, the agency expects to lose communication for about six minutes as the Orion capsule holding the astronauts is enveloped in a fireball.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

“Anything that allows us to save time, whether two hours or 20 minutes, knocks off some tasks and allows us to focus on core competencies,” Downs says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

For about 40 minutes, radio and laser signals which allowed communication between the spacecraft and Earth were blocked by the Moon itself.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

In a second message just a few minutes later, he added that "very quickly, you'll see Oil start flowing, with or without the help of Iran."

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Now I was due at the store in forty minutes, and there was nothing to do but break it to her outright.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu