# mint

Pronunciation: say "MINT" /mɪnt/

## Noun

1. An aromatic plant of the genus Mentha, usually with square stems and a strong, fresh scent.
   - Simple: A leafy garden plant with a strong, fresh smell, used to flavor food and drinks.
   - _Mint spreads aggressively through underground runners and can crowd out other herbs._
   - _Because mint spreads so quickly, she grows it in a large pot by the back door instead of in the garden._
2. The flavoring obtained from the mint plant, used in a sweet, jelly, or sauce.
   - Simple: The fresh, cool taste taken from the mint plant, used in candies, jellies, and sauces.
   - _The jelly was flavored with mint and served beside the roast._
   - _A hint of mint ran through the dark chocolate filling._
3. A candy flavored with mint, often eaten to sweeten the smell of the breath.
   - Simple: A small, sweet candy with a cool, fresh taste, often eaten to make the breath smell nice.
   - _A bowl of mints sat by the restaurant door._
   - _He took a mint to cover the smell of coffee on his breath._
5. A building or institution, licensed by the government, where money (originally only coins) is produced.
   - Simple: A place where a government makes coins and other money.
   - _The national mint released a commemorative coin for the anniversary._
   - _Visitors can tour the old mint where silver dollars were once struck._
10. A shade of green resembling that of mint leaves.
   - Simple: A soft, pale green, like the color of mint leaves.
   - _The designer paired mint with soft gray throughout the house._
   - _A touch of mint brightened the otherwise plain hallway._
11. A huge amount of money, or by extension a great deal of anything. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A very large amount of money, or a large amount of something.
   - _That waterfront house must have cost them a mint._
   - _They made a mint selling souvenirs during the festival._
12. A place or source regarded as offering an unlimited supply, or the abundant supply itself.
   - Simple: A place or thing that gives a huge, never-ending supply of something.

## Verb

4. To produce coins, usually in large quantities, under government license.
   - Simple: To make coins, usually in large numbers, with the government's permission.
   - _The government mints new coins every year._
   - _They mint commemorative coins to mark national events._
6. To invent, fashion, or fabricate something, especially a new word or phrase.
   - Simple: To make up something new, such as a word, phrase, or idea.
   - _Scientists mint fresh terms whenever they discover something new._
   - _He minted the phrase that later defined an entire era._
9. To create a new crypto token by recording it on a blockchain.
   - Simple: To create a new crypto token and record it on a blockchain.
   - _Artists mint tokens to sell their digital artwork online._
   - _The studio minted a limited series of collectible tokens._

## Adjective

7. In perfect, as-new condition, as if never used or handled; of a coin or stamp, uncirculated or unused as issued.
   - Simple: In perfect condition, like new, as if nobody had ever used or handled it.
   - _The dealer listed the silver dollar as mint and uncirculated._
   - _Collectors pay far more for a stamp in mint condition than for one that has been used._
8. Colored green like the leaves of the mint plant.
   - Simple: Having a soft, pale green color, like mint leaves.
   - _They chose mint walls for the nursery._
   - _He wore a mint sweater and a white shirt to the spring party._
13. Very good or excellent. *(dialectal, Geordie, Northern England)*
   - Simple: Really good or great.
   - _The gig last night was absolutely mint._
   - _Honestly, the weekend up in Newcastle was mint. We didn't stop laughing from Friday to Sunday._

## Other meanings

- (verb) To attempt or endeavor an action, or to take aim at a target and try to strike it.
- (noun) An intention or purpose; an attempt or effort directed toward something.
- (verb) To hint, suggest, or insinuate something in an indirect way.

## Origin

**Meanings 4–7, 9, 11–13** — From Middle English mynt ("money, coin"), from Old English mynet ("coin"), which came through Proto-West Germanic from Latin monēta, meaning a place for making coins. The Latin word comes from the temple of Juno Moneta, where coins were made. It is a doublet of money, and the verb comes from the noun.
**Meanings 1–3, 8, 10** — From Middle English mynte, from Old English minte ("mint plant"), through Proto-West Germanic from Latin menta. The Latin word probably came from a lost Mediterranean language, either through Ancient Greek mínthē or directly. It is a doublet of mentha.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/mint (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).