mint

¹ American  

[mint] / mɪnt /

noun

1. any aromatic herb of the genus Mentha, having opposite leaves and small, whorled flowers, as the spearmint and peppermint.

2. a soft or hard confection or candy flavored with spearmint or peppermint.

   after-dinner mints.

3.  mint green.  a light green color with a cool, bluish undertone.

   The cushion comes in mint or orange.

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adjective

1. made or flavored with mint.

   mint tea.

2. of the color mint.

mint ² American  

[mint] / mɪnt /

noun

1. a place where coins, paper currency, special medals, etc., are produced under government authority.

2. a place where something is produced or manufactured

3. a vast amount, especially of money.

   He made a mint in oil wells.

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adjective

1. Philately. (of a stamp) being in its original, unused condition.

2. unused or appearing to be newly made and never used.

   a book in mint condition.

verb (used with object)

1. to make (coins, money, etc.) by stamping metal.

2. to turn (metal) into coins.

   to mint gold into sovereigns.

3. to make or fabricate; invent.

   to mint words.

mint ³ American  

[mint] / mɪnt /

noun

1. intent; purpose.

2. an attempt; try; effort.

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verb (used with object)

1. to try (something); attempt.

2. to take aim at (something) with a gun.

3. to hit or strike at (someone or something).

verb (used without object)

1. to try; attempt.

2. to take aim.

mint ¹ British  

/ mɪnt /

noun

1. a place where money is coined by governmental authority

2. a very large amount of money

   he made a mint in business

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adjective

1. (of coins, postage stamps, etc) in perfect condition as issued

2. informal excellent; impressive

3. in perfect condition; as if new

verb

1. to make (coins) by stamping metal

2. (tr) to invent (esp phrases or words)

mint ² British  

/ mɪnt /

noun

1. any N temperate plant of the genus Mentha , having aromatic leaves and spikes of small typically mauve flowers: family Lamiaceae (labiates). The leaves of some species are used for seasoning and flavouring See also peppermint spearmint horsemint water mint

2. another name for dittany

3. a sweet flavoured with mint

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Other Word Forms

• minter noun
• minty adjective

Etymology

Origin of mint¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English minte (cognate with Old High German minza ), from Latin ment(h)a, from the same source as Greek mínthē

Origin of mint²

First recorded before 900; Middle English mint(e), Old English mynet “coin, coinage, money,” from Latin monēta “coin, mint,” after the temple of Juno Monēta, where Roman money was coined

Origin of mint³

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb minten, munte(n) “to intend, plan, think of,” Old English myntan, gemyntan “to mean, intend”; akin to mind; noun derivative of the verb

Explanation

Mint is a green herb with a bright, cool taste and smell. The best part about brushing your teeth is the clean flavor of mint in your mouth afterward. Mint plants smell great, and you can even chew the leaves as a natural breath freshener. The sweet, clean flavor is common in chewing gum, dental floss, and candy (in fact, a mint-flavored candy is called a mint). A completely different sort of mint is a place where money is made, or minted. Informally, an enormous amount of money is also a mint: "He inherited a mint and bought a Rolls Royce."

Example Sentences

The U.S. government recently retired the penny after two centuries because it had become too expensive to mint.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

The swish of polyester skirts in spring pastels — lavender, mint, butter-yellow — as the women of the church organized the spread.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026

Scientists have now produced the first detailed images showing how this sensor works, revealing how it responds both to real drops in temperature and to menthol, the cooling compound found in mint plants.

From Science Daily • Mar. 8, 2026

To make my own, I alchemized a potpourri of sandalwood, hinoki wood, palo santo, mint, patchouli and tachibana orange.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

After all, I had really wanted that mint chip.

From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling