Small vs. Minute — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on August 20, 2023
Small refers to limited size or amount, while minute indicates an extremely small extent or quantity.
Difference Between Small and Minute
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
The term "small" is a general adjective that indicates something of limited size, amount, or degree. It is commonly used to describe objects, quantities, or even abstract concepts that are not large or significant. On the other hand, "minute" is an adjective that specifically denotes something of an extremely small size, quantity, or degree. It emphasizes the tiny nature of something, often to an extent that it's almost negligible.
In everyday language, when we describe something as "small," we might be referring to an object that's smaller than average, such as a small car or a small cup of coffee. However, if we describe something as "minute," we're often stressing its diminutiveness to a greater degree, as in a minute speck of dust or a minute trace of a substance.
Both "small" and "minute" can also be applied to non-physical concepts. For instance, someone might have a small chance of success or a small amount of patience. In contrast, "minute" would be used to describe something even more limited, like a minute possibility or a minute error.
Additionally, it's worth noting that the word "minute" in this context is different from the noun "minute" that represents 60 seconds. The word "small" is more universally understood, while "minute" in the context of "very small" might require more careful use to ensure clarity.
Comparison Chart
Degree
Limited size or amount
Extremely tiny extent or quantity
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Common Usage
Small cup, small room
Minute detail, minute error
Context
Both physical and abstract
Often used for emphasis on tininess
Pronunciation
As it looks
Can be confused with "minute" (time unit)
Range of Size
Smaller than average
Almost negligible
Compare with Definitions
Small
Limited in size.
That's a small house.
Minute
Extremely small in size.
There's a minute crack in the vase.
Small
Lesser in importance.
It's a small issue, don't worry.
Minute
The minute is a unit of time usually equal to 1/60 (the first sexagesimal fraction) of an hour, or 60 seconds. In the UTC time standard, a minute on rare occasions has 61 seconds, a consequence of leap seconds (there is a provision to insert a negative leap second, which would result in a 59-second minute, but this has never happened in more than 40 years under this system).
Small
Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short; as, after a small space.
Minute
Trivial or insignificant.
There's only a minute difference between them.
Small
Too small to be seen except under a microscope
Minute
Detailed and careful.
He gave it a minute inspection.
Small
In small pieces
Cut the meat up small.
Minute
Very precise.
He's minute in his observations.
Small
Not fully grown;
What a big little boy you are
Small children
Minute
Not worthy of notice; insignificant
A minute problem.
Small
Minor in influence or effect.
She played a small role in the play.
Minute
Immeasurably small
Small
Limited in size or scope;
A small business
A newspaper with a modest circulation
Small-scale plans
A pocket-size country
Minute
A unit of time equal to one sixtieth of an hour, or 60 seconds.
Small
Not large but sufficient in size or amount;
A modest salary
Modest inflation
Helped in my own small way
Minute
To record in a memorandum or the minutes of a meeting.
Small
Being below average in size
A small car.
Minute
Exceptionally small; tiny.
Small
Unpretentious; modest
Made a small living.
Helped the cause in my own small way.
Minute
A nautical or a geographic mile.
Small
Limited in degree.
He has a small understanding of the topic.
Minute
(obsolete) A very small part of anything, or anything very small; a jot; a whit.
Small
Being below average in quantity or extent
A small donation.
A small project.
Minute
The sixtieth part of an hour; sixty seconds. (Abbrev. m. or min.; as, 4 h. 30 m.
Four minutes, that is to say, minutes of an hour.
Small
Limited in importance or significance; trivial
A small matter.
Minute
Characterized by painstaking care and detailed examination;
A minute inspection of the grounds
A narrow scrutiny
An exact and minute report
Small
Having limited position, influence, or status; minor
"A crowd of small writers had vainly attempted to rival Addison" (Thomas Macaulay).
Minute
Characterized by careful scrutiny and close examination
Held a minute inspection of the grounds.
Small
Without loudness or forcefulness; softly.
Minute
Very small.
They found only minute quantities of chemical residue on his clothing.
Small
In a small manner.
Minute
The memorandum; a record; a note to preserve the memory of anything; as, to take minutes of a contract; to take minutes of a conversation or debate; to read the minutes of the last meeting.
Small
A part that is smaller or narrower than the rest
The small of the back.
Minute
A unit of angular measurement equal to one sixtieth of a degree, or 60 seconds. Also called arcminute, minute of arc.
Small
Small things considered as a group.
Minute
A measure of the distance one can cover in a minute
Lives ten minutes from school.
Small
Minuscule or lowercase, referring to written or printed letters.
Minute
Minutes An official record of the proceedings of a meeting.
Small
Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short.
A small space of time
Minute
A unit of time equal to sixty seconds (one-sixtieth of an hour).
You have twenty minutes to complete the test.
Small
Synonym of little
Small science
Minute
(informal) A short but unspecified time period.
Wait a minute, I’m not ready yet!
Small
(archaic) Slender, gracefully slim.
Minute
A unit of angle equal to one-sixtieth of a degree.
We need to be sure these maps are accurate to within one minute of arc.
Small
That is small the manufactured size.
I'll have a small coffee, thanks.
Minute
A unit of purchase on a telephone or other similar network, especially a cell phone network, roughly equivalent in gross form to sixty seconds' use of the network.
If you buy this model, you’ll get 100 free minutes.
Small
In or into small pieces.
Minute
A point in time; a moment.
Small
(obsolete) To a small extent.
Minute
An old coin, a half farthing.
Small
An item labelled or denoted as being that size.
Two smalls and a large, please.
Minute
(architecture) A fixed part of a module.
Small
In or to small extent, quantity, or degree; little; slightly.
Minute
To set down a short sketch or note of; to jot down; to make a minute or a brief summary of.
Small
Not loudly; faintly; timidly.
You may speak as small as you will.
Minute
Very careful and exact, giving small details.
The lawyer gave the witness a minute examination.
Small
The small or slender part of a thing; as, the small of the leg or of the back.
Minute
The sixtieth part of a degree; sixty seconds (Marked thus (´); as, 10° 20´).
Small
Smallclothes.
Minute
A nautical or a geographic mile.
Small
To make little or less.
Minute
A coin; a half farthing.
Small
The slender part of the back
Minute
A very small part of anything, or anything very small; a jot; a tittle.
Minutes and circumstances of his passion.
Small
A garment size for a small person
Minute
A fixed part of a module. See Module.
Small
Slight or limited; especially in degree or intensity or scope;
A series of death struggles with small time in between
Minute
Of or pertaining to a minute or minutes; occurring at or marking successive minutes.
Small
Made to seem smaller or less (especially in worth);
Her comments made me feel small
Minute
Very small; little; tiny; fine; slight; slender; inconsiderable; as, minute details.
Small
Lowercase;
Little a
Small a
E.e.cummings's poetry is written all in minuscule letters
Minute
An indefinitely short time;
Wait just a moment
It only takes a minute
In just a bit
Small
Have fine or very small constituent particles;
A small misty rain
Minute
A particular point in time;
The moment he arrived the party began
Small
On a small scale;
Think small
Minute
Of short duration.
I'll be back in a minute.
Small
Insignificant in amount.
We have a small number of apples left.
Minute
A short interval of time; moment.
Small
Not fully grown; very young
A small child.
Minute
A specific point in time
Stop that this minute!.
Small
Narrow in outlook; petty
A small mind.
Minute
A note or summary covering points to be remembered; a memorandum.
Small
Having been belittled; humiliated
Their comments made me feel small.
Minute
A (usually formal) written record of a meeting or a part of a meeting.
Let’s look at the minutes of last week’s meeting.
Small
Diluted; weak. Used of alcoholic beverages.
Minute
A while or a long unspecified period of time
Oh, I ain't heard that song in a minute!
Small
Lacking force or volume
A small voice.
Minute
(transitive) Of an event, to write in a memo or the minutes of a meeting.
I’ll minute this evening’s meeting.
Small
Lowercase
Type the password in small letters.
Minute
A point of time; a moment.
I go this minute to attend the king.
Small
Chiefly British Small items of clothing.
Minute
Attentive to small things; paying attention to details; critical; particular; precise; as, a minute observer; minute observation.
Small
Not large or big; insignificant; few in number.
A small serving of ice cream.
A small group.
He made us all feel small.
Minute
To set down a short sketch or note of; to jot down; to make a minute or a brief summary of.
The Empress of Russia, with her own hand, minuted an edict for universal tolerance.
Small
(figuratively) Young, as a child.
Remember when the children were small?
Minute
A unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour;
He ran a 4 minute mile
Small
Humiliated or insignificant.
The bullies had succeeded in making him feel small.
Minute
A unit of angular distance equal to a 60th of a degree
Small
Evincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; paltry; mean.
Minute
A short note;
The secretary keeps the minutes of the meeting
Small
In a small fashion
Minute
Distance measured by the time taken to cover it;
We live an hour from the airport
Its just 10 minutes away
Small
(obsolete) In a low tone; softly.
Minute
Infinitely or immeasurably small;
Two minute whiplike threads of protoplasm
Reduced to a microscopic scale
Small
One who fits an item of that size.
Small
Any part of something that is smaller or slimmer than the rest, now usually with anatomical reference to the back.
Small
To make little or less.
Small
(intransitive) To become small; to dwindle.
Small
Having little size, compared with other things of the same kind; little in quantity or degree; diminutive; not large or extended in dimension; not great; not much; inconsiderable; as, a small man; a small river.
To compareGreat things with small.
Small
Being of slight consequence; feeble in influence or importance; unimportant; trivial; insignificant; as, a small fault; a small business.
Small
Envincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; - sometimes, in reproach, paltry; mean.
A true delineation of the smallest man is capable of interesting the greatest man.
Small
Weak; slender; fine; gentle; soft; not loud.
Small
Limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent;
A little dining room
A little house
A small car
A little (or small) group
A small voice
Small
Low or inferior in station or quality;
A humble cottage
A lowly parish priest
A modest man of the people
Small beginnings
Small
(of a voice) faint;
A little voice
A still small voice
Common Curiosities
What does "small" commonly refer to?
Small typically refers to something of limited size, amount, or degree.
How does "minute" differ from "small" in size emphasis?
Minute indicates something of an extremely small size or quantity, stressing its tiny or negligible nature.
Can both "small" and "minute" be used for non-physical concepts?
Yes, both can describe abstract concepts; for example, a small chance or a minute possibility.
Is there a chance for "minute" to be confused with another word?
Yes, "minute" can also mean 60 seconds, so context is crucial to distinguish between the two meanings.
Which word is more universally understood: small or minute?
Small is more universally understood, while minute might require more context.
Do small and minute have other synonyms?
Yes, for small, synonyms might include tiny, little, and petite. For minute, they could be microscopic, minuscule, and negligible.
Are there contexts where using "small" is more appropriate than "minute"?
Yes, in everyday descriptions like small cup or small room, "small" is more appropriate. "Minute" is used for greater emphasis on tininess.
Is "minute" always used to describe something negative or lacking?
No, "minute" can be neutral; for instance, a minute detail can be a precise observation, not necessarily something lacking.
How should "minute" be pronounced when referring to size?
When referring to size, "minute" is pronounced my-NOOT.
Which word is older in the English language: small or minute?
"Small" is the older term, with Old English roots. "Minute" came into English in the late Middle Ages from Latin.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
