Definition
The lowest weather conditions and altitudes at which a pilot is authorized to operate a particular flight procedure, most commonly the minimum visibility and decision altitude or minimum descent altitude required to fly an instrument approach and land.
Plain English
The lowest you're allowed to go, or the worst weather you're allowed to fly in, before you must either land or break off the approach and go somewhere else.
Context Anchor
Seen on approach charts, in weather briefings, in airport planning, and during decisions about takeoff, landing, alternate airports, and visual flight.
Derivation
From the Latin 'minimum,' meaning 'least.' In aviation it became shorthand for 'the least acceptable conditions' — the floor below which a flight cannot legally or safely continue.
Why Pilots Care
Determines whether a landing attempt is legal and safe in low visibility; continuing below published minimums without the required visual references violates regulations and increases accident risk.
Intuition Check
Minimums does not just mean “a low number” in a casual sense. In aviation, minimums are official limits that affect whether an operation is allowed or must be discontinued.
Example Sentence 1
The crew briefed the approach minimums of 250 feet and one mile visibility before beginning the descent.
Example Sentence 2
Visibility dropped below minimums, so the crew flew the missed approach procedure.