Definition
A unit of angular measurement equal to one-sixtieth of a degree, used in aviation to express latitude, longitude, bearings, and headings with greater precision than whole degrees alone. Sixty minutes make one degree, and each minute can be further divided into seconds or decimal fractions.
Plain English
A small slice of a degree. There are 60 of them in every degree, and they let you describe a position or direction more precisely than just saying the degree number.
Context Anchor
Seen in time estimates, delays, flight planning, clearances, and position coordinates.
Derivation
From the Latin pars minuta prima, meaning 'first small part.' When degrees were first divided for finer measurement, each small piece was called a minute. The same word was later borrowed for time, but in navigation it kept its original meaning of a small division of an angle.
Why Pilots Care
Using minutes gives the precision needed to identify waypoints, airports, and boundaries without ambiguity that could affect navigation or separation.
Intuition Check
Do not assume “minutes” always means time. If the word appears with degrees, latitude, or longitude, it means a small part of an angle, not a time interval.
Example Sentence 1
The airport's latitude is listed as 34 degrees 12 minutes north, so the pilot entered 34°12'N into the GPS.
Example Sentence 2
ATC asked the pilot to report position using degrees and minutes rather than decimal degrees.