noun
mince
mihns
noun
1
Meat that has been finely chopped or ground.
"She browned the mince before adding the tomatoes and onions."
verb
1
To chop food into very small pieces.
"Mince the garlic finely before adding it to the pan."
"The recipe calls for two cloves of garlic, minced."
2
To soften or hold back one's words so as not to offend (usually in "not mince words").
"He didn't mince his words when he criticised the plan."
3
To walk with small, affected, dainty steps.
"She minced across the room in her high heels."
How to Use Mince
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAs a noun, finely chopped meat (what Americans usually call "ground meat"); as a verb, to chop finely, or to speak in a careful, softened way, or to walk with small dainty steps.
UK vs US
British English uses "mince" for what American English usually calls "ground beef" or "ground meat".
Common pairings
minced beef
not mince words
mince garlic
Word Forms
minced past tense, minces plural, minces singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “mince”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She browned the _____ before adding the tomatoes and onions.
Etymology
From Old French mincier ("to cut into small pieces"), related to Old English words meaning "to make smaller" — ultimately from the same root as "minus" and "minor".