Definition

1. Noun:
   • A period of time equal to one half of an hour: "30 minutes" is a specific unit of time measurement, equivalent to 30 sixtieths of an hour.

Usage

• "30 minutes" is used to quantify duration. It can function as a noun phrase on its own or be part of a larger prepositional phrase (e.g., "for 30 minutes," "in 30 minutes").
• It is typically written with numerals, though "thirty minutes" is also acceptable in prose.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The cake needs to bake for 30 minutes.
  • Please allow 30 minutes for the software to install.
  • The meeting was delayed by 30 minutes.

Advanced Usage

• "30 minutes of fame": A play on the idiom "15 minutes of fame," referring to a brief period of public attention or celebrity.

  • The viral video gave him his 30 minutes of fame.

• "30 minutes to/past [the hour]": Used to indicate a specific time.

  • The train departs at half-past eight, or 30 minutes past eight.

Variants and Related Words

• Half an hour (n): A synonymous phrase for 30 minutes.

  • The journey takes half an hour.

• Half-hour (adj/n): Can be used as an adjective to describe something lasting 30 minutes, or as a noun.

  • We have a half-hour break. (adj)
  • The show is a half-hour long. (n)

Synonyms

• Half an hour: The most direct synonym.
• A half-hour: Another common equivalent.

Related Phrases

• On the half-hour: Occurring at times like 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, etc.

  • Buses depart on the half-hour.

• Every 30 minutes: Indicating a recurring interval.

  • The shuttle runs every 30 minutes.

Noun

1. a half of an hour