à la minute

adjective

à la mi·​nute ˌä-lə-mē-ˈnüt 

-ˈnᵫt,

ˌa-

cooking

: prepared very quickly and served immediately : not prepared in advance

A quick and tasty side dish is spaghetti with an à la minute sauce based on plum tomatoes and basil.

—Pierre Franey, New York Times, 1 June 1988

à la minute adverb

Intricate desserts are made à la minute, which is why the server insists they be ordered ahead of time.

—S. Irene Virbila, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2009

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, "short-lasting, giving results rapidly," literally, "in a minute"

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

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