Mince

Mince

Verb / Noun · /mɪns/

Definition

(Verb) to cut or chop food, especially meat, into very small pieces; to walk with short, quick, light steps in an affected or exaggerated way; to not mince one's words — to speak plainly and directly without softening; (Noun, British English) minced meat, especially ground beef (mince).

Origin

From Old French mincier, from Medieval Latin minutiare (to mince, to make small), from Latin minutus (small, minute) — the past participle of minuere (to diminish, to reduce). The same Latin minutus gives minute (the adjective meaning tiny), minute (the unit of time, which was the smallest division), and minuscule. The affected walking sense developed from the idea of taking small, dainty steps — moving in a reduced, restrained way.