minim

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a historical apothecaries' unit of liquid volume equal to one sixtieth of a fluid dram, roughly 0.06 milliliters

   The physician measured a few minims of tincture into the glass.

2. 2
   noun

   British music: a note lasting half as long as a semibreve; a half note

   The final minim is held for two beats in common time.

From Latin minimus, 'smallest.' The word named the smallest traditional unit in apothecaries' fluid measure and, historically, a very short musical note; later changes in notation left the British musical minim equal to the American half note.

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