noun
minim
A musical note lasting half as long as a whole note.
Each minim lasts for two beats in this four-four passage.
Etymology
The name means smallest and originally identified a very short note value in an older notation system. Shorter values later developed, leaving minim as the name for the modern half note.
More examples
- The melody begins with a minim followed by two quarter notes.
- Two minims have the same total duration as one whole note.
- A dot after a minim increases its duration by half.
Forms
minim · minims
Similar words
- half note
- The standard American term for the same musical note.