Minoot or Minute – What is the Word that means Small? 

Vocabulary / By

If you are looking for a word that means small, you will want to use the English word ‘minute’. The word minute has many definitions. The word minute can also be used as a noun, an adjective, or a verb. The word minute is also a homonym and homograph, which are words that are spelled or sound the same.

“Minoot” is an incorrect spelling of the adjective “minute”. 

Continue reading on to learn more about the many definitions of minute, the pronunciation of the word, and how to use it in a sentence.

Minute Definition

In terms of how to define the word minute, there are three primary options depending on whether you want to use it as a noun, an adjective, or a verb. Minute is a noun that refers to either 60 seconds or one minute of time in noun form.

If you use the word minute as an adjective, it can signify a variety of things, including very little, of little consequence, or paying special attention to details. The noun and adjective forms of minute are the ones that are most often met in the definitions.

Homonyms Minute and Minute

Minute and minute are both homonyms, and more precisely homographs, of the word minute. Homonyms are words that are visually or acoustically similar but have entirely different meanings. It is possible to classify homonyms into two categories: homophones and homographs.

Homophones are words that have the same sound but are spelled in a completely different way. Homographs, such as the words minute and minute, are words that are spelled the same but have a completely distinct sound.

Minute Pronunciation

Even though both minute and minute are homonyms, you can figure out if the word minute is being used as a noun or adjective by hearing the pronunciation of the word as they have different emphasis on the syllable. For the adjective form of minute(meaning very small), the correct pronunciation is my-noot. The stress is put onto the last syllable of the word. For the noun form, you will hear the first syllable stressed, and it is pronounced as men-ut.

How to Use Minute in a Sentence

To use the word minute, as a verb, in a sentence you will need to understand the message you are trying to convey. Here are a few examples of how to use the word minute correctly within a sentence.

  • There were minute particles of pollen in the air. 
  • The toxicology report detected minute levels of arsenic. 
  • He told her what happened in minute detail. 
  • Examiners conducted minute exams of the evidence. 

In all of the examples above, “minute” means a very small amount. You can often use the word “tiny” or “minuscule” as alternatives to “minute”.

 

Conor
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