minim
8.0
A musical note that lasts for two beats
- noun
- /ˈmɪnɪm/
- UK
:
mínima
- A minim is represented by a note with an open head and a stem, indicating its time value in music.
Examples
-
Please hold the minim for its full value in this piece.
-
A minim is a half note.
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He struggled to remember if a minim was longer than a crotchet or shorter.
-
The first bar begins with a minim followed by two crotchets.
-
The minim is crucial in music.
-
In the musical score, each minim is worth two beats, allowing for smooth transitions between notes.
-
During the lesson, the teacher explained how to play a minim correctly on the piano.
Synonyms
1
3.6
A musical note that lasts for two beats in common time
is the alternative name for the same musical value
How Long
whole note
1
4.2
- Specialized
1
4.2
minim
- UK
quarter note
1
3.9
- Specialized
1
3.9
eighth note
1
4.8
- Specialized
1
4.8
sixteenth note
1
5.8
- Specialized
1
5.8
Surface Forms
Etymology
Minim comes from the Latin root minim- meaning 'small', the same root as minimum and mini. In older music a minim was one of the 'small' notes compared with longer notes, so the name stayed for the half note we call a minim today.