mince

1 of 2

verb

minced; mincing

transitive verb

1
a
: to cut or chop into very small pieces
She minced the garlic.
b
: to subdivide minutely
especially : to damage by cutting up
The director minced up the play.
2
: to utter or pronounce with affectation
minced the word in the manner of the old lady
3
a
archaic : minimize
b
: to restrain (words) within the bounds of decorum
minced no words in stating his dislikeJ. T. Farrell

intransitive verb

: to walk with short steps in a prim affected manner
The comedian minced across the stage.
mincer noun

mince

2 of 2

noun

1
: small chopped bits (as of food)
specifically : mincemeat
2
British : hamburger sense 1a

Examples of mince in a Sentence

Verb She minced the onions. minced some garlic and added it to the stew
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Wendy Williams doesn't mince words about her divorce in the shocking new Lifetime documentary Where Is Wendy Williams? Brianne Tracy, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2024 But perhaps the most memorable piece of advice was from a late-career writer who didn’t mince words. Clare Malone, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2024 Tuna, White Bean and Kale Soup: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan and add 1 diced onion, 3 cloves minced garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Kathleen Purvis, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Garlic: Press or finely mince the garlic to get the most flavor in a short period of time. Pati Jinich, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2024 Samuel didn’t mince words, telling him in his trademark direct fashion to tell Shanahan to get him the bleeping ball. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024 When asked to assess his own offensive game since being traded to the Miami Heat, guard Terry Rozier didn’t mince words. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2024 About 1 cup sugar snap peas, stems pulled off 4 or 5 thick asparagus spears 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, minced 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan Salt and pepper Bring a small pan of water to boil and add a good pinch of salt. Kathleen Purvis, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 When the commission held a public hearing in Brooklyn to discuss its proposals, Mr. Golden did not mince words. Joseph P. Fried, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mince.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French mincer, from Vulgar Latin *minutiare, from Latin minutia smallness — more at minutia

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mince was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near mince

Cite this Entry

“Mince.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mince. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mince

1 of 2 verb
minced; mincing
1
: to cut into very small pieces
2
: to act, walk, or speak in an unnaturally dainty way
mincingly
ˈmin(t)-siŋ-lē
adverb

mince

2 of 2 noun
: small bits into which something is chopped
especially : mincemeat

More from Merriam-Webster on mince

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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