Definition
A unit of time equal to 60 seconds, or 1/60 of an hour. In aviation publications, charts, and flight planning, MIN is the standard shorthand for minute when expressing durations such as flight time, fuel endurance, holding times, or time-to-station.
Plain English
MIN just means minute — the same 60-second minute used everywhere else. The aviation world shortens it to save space on charts and in written notes.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA notices, flight planning information, weather timing, and other short aviation text where space is limited.
Derivation
From Latin pars minuta prima, meaning 'first small part' — the first division of an hour into smaller pieces. The 'small part' sense is why minute (the time unit) and minute (meaning tiny) share a spelling.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots rely on minutes for timing fuel use, weather changes, holds, delays, and arrival planning. Misreading a time value can lead to poor planning or being late for an instruction or limit.
Intuition Check
MIN usually means minute in this context, not minimum. If the text is giving a time value, read MIN as minutes.
Example Sentence 1
The clearance included a 10 MIN hold at the fix before further routing.
Example Sentence 2
Latitude is expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds.