minuterie

timer

noun mee-noot-REE Rare

Also means

time switch

Usage Note

Minuterie refers specifically to an automatic timed switch, most commonly the type that controls stairwell lights in French apartment buildings — the light stays on for a set number of minutes then clicks off. The device name comes from minute + -erie. In a kitchen context, a minuteur (m) is a cooking timer.

Examples

"La minuterie du couloir s'éteint après deux minutes."

Natural Translation

The hallway timer switches off after two minutes.

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