What does minuting mean?
Minuting is the present-participle and gerund form of minute, the verb meaning to record the proceedings of a meeting. It refers to writing an official summary of what was said, decided, or formally proposed. A person responsible for minuting is usually called a secretary or minute-taker, and the resulting document consists of the minutes. The word is especially common in legal, governmental, parliamentary, academic, and organizational settings, where an accurate record of proceedings is important. In general conversation, one would usually say “taking minutes” rather than use the more formal word “minuting.” The term is useful because it distinguishes the systematic recording of a meeting from casual note-taking: minutes are official records intended to preserve decisions and facilitate later reference, verification, or review.
verb (present participle and gerund)Recording the proceedings of a meeting in a written official record. As a gerund, it can refer to the practice or process of doing this.
- Recording the proceedings of a meeting in a written official record.
- Used as a gerund, the practice or process of making such a record.
"She spent the afternoon minuting the committee's discussion."
"The committee secretary was responsible for minuting the meeting."
"The judge's clerk was minuting the proceedings for the official record."
Minuting turns a fleeting conversation into an official record that can be quoted, checked, and remembered.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does minuting come from?
The verb minute ultimately derives from the noun minute, meaning a written record of a meeting. That noun came through Middle French from Latin minutus, meaning “small” and originally referring to a small part of an hour. The modern present participle minuting was formed in English by adding the regular ending -ing to the verb minute.
How minuting is actually used
The word is formal and is chiefly associated with administrative, legal, parliamentary, and institutional contexts. Minutes usually summarize decisions and key points rather than reproduce every word spoken.
Easily confused with minuting
Minute can name a small unit of time or a written record of a meeting, whereas minuting refers specifically to the act of making such a record.