# "Minutes" of a meeting: etymology? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 6, 2001, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minutes-of-a-meeting-etymology/53368 "2001-02-06T17:10:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jdl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@jdl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdl)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2001, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minutes-of-a-meeting-etymology/53368/1 "2001-02-06T17:10:10Z")
What is the etymology of the term “minutes” refering to the record of a meeting? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2001, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minutes-of-a-meeting-etymology/53368/2 "2001-02-06T17:13:37Z")
WAG: the roots of the word “minute” has origins in “smallness,” not “time” Thus the “minutes” are the “small notes” taken at a meeting. Just a guess, though ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2001, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minutes-of-a-meeting-etymology/53368/3 "2001-02-06T17:38:12Z")
That’s pretty much what our friends at M-W say, **Mjollnir** : Main Entry: min·ute Pronunciation: 'mi-n&t Function: noun Etymology: **Middle English, from Middle French, from Late Latin minuta, from Latin minutus small, from past participle of minuere to lessen** – more at MINOR Date: 14th century 1 : a 60th part of an hour of time or of a degree : 60 seconds 2 : the distance one can traverse in a minute 3 : a short space of time : MOMENT **4 a : a brief note (as of summary or recommendation) b : MEMORANDUM, DRAFT c plural : the official record of the proceedings of a meeting** Although it never occurred to me that it was anything but literal, frankly; that it recorded what happened during the minutes that the meeting was in progress.