Convert Drop (drop) to Minim (UK) (minim (UK)) instantly.
About these units
Drop (drop)
The drop is one of the oldest fluid measures and originally referred simply to the amount of liquid that naturally forms at the end of a dripping vessel. Because drop size depends on viscosity, surface tension, temperature, and orifice size, early medicine found drops inconsistent and unreliable. Modern medicine and chemistry sometimes define a drop as 0.05 mL, but this is only a convention used for standardized droppers—real drops can vary significantly. Despite its imprecision, the drop survives in everyday language, aromatherapy, essential oils, and household instructions ("add a few drops"). It exemplifies humanity's earliest attempts to quantify small volumes before scientific instrumentation enabled precise micro-measurement.
Minim (UK) (minim (UK))
The UK minim is one of the smallest traditional volume units, equal to 1/60 of a dram, or roughly 0.059 milliliters. Introduced in the early 19th century to replace the inconsistent "drop," the minim allowed physicians and pharmacists to dose potent liquid medicines more reliably. Before modern syringes and droppers, apothecaries needed a precise micro-unit that could be measured using graduated glassware. The minim served this purpose exceptionally well and was foundational in early medical standardization. Although no longer used in contemporary medicine, it remains historically important, especially in pharmacology, toxicology, and the study of pre-modern medical practice.