minx
Minx (noun) means a flirtatious, cheeky, or mischievous young woman. Example: “She gave him a sly, teasing look — quite the little minx.”
How to use minx
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA playful, somewhat cheeky word for a bold or flirty young woman.
Old-fashioned and often used playfully or affectionately rather than seriously.
Word forms
minxed past tense, minxes plural, minxes singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She gave him a sly, teasing look — quite the little _____.
Etymology
PIE word *ǵʰmṓ The origin of the noun is uncertain. The following possible derivations have been suggested: * A variation of minikin (“(obsolete) young person, especially a young woman; small or insignificant person, thing, or amount”) + a variation of -s (suffix forming hypocoristic nouns (nicknames)) (compare minckins, a variant of minikin). * From Dutch mens, mensch (“human being, person; (derogatory, informal) woman”) (obsolete), Middle Dutch minsc, minsce, minsch; or from German Low German minsch, minsk, Middle Low German minsche (“hussy, wench”), all ultimately from Proto-Germanic *manniskaz (“human”, adjective), from *mann- (“human being, person; man”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰmṓ (“earthling”), *men- (“to mind; to think; spiritual activity”), or *mon- (“human being; man”)) + *-iskaz (suffix meaning ‘characteristic of, pertaining to’ forming adjectives). The verb is derived from the noun.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for minx
See all rhymes for minx →Frequently asked questions
What does “minx” mean?
The word “minx” means a flirtatious, cheeky, or mischievous young woman. In plain terms, a playful, somewhat cheeky word for a bold or flirty young woman.
How do you pronounce “minx”?
“Minx” is pronounced mihngks (/mɪŋks/ in IPA).
How do you use “minx” in a sentence?
Here is “minx” used in a sentence: “She gave him a sly, teasing look — quite the little minx.”
What part of speech is “minx”?
“Minx” is a noun.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include minx: