# mint

/ˈmɪnt/ (US) · /mˈɪnt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mint
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. the plant or flavour

noun · CEFR A2

a plant with a fresh smell and taste, used in cooking, tea, or sweets.

For teachers: any aromatic plant of the genus Mentha, or the essential oil and flavouring derived from it.

- I love the taste of fresh mint in my lemonade during the summer.
- The chef garnished the dessert with a sprig of fresh mint to contrast the richness of the dark chocolate.

### 2. a candy

noun · CEFR A2

a small, hard sweet that tastes like the mint plant, often used to make your breath smell fresh.

For teachers: a peppermint-flavoured lozenge or candy, frequently consumed as a breath freshener.

- He offered me a mint after we finished our garlicky dinner.
- She kept a small tin of extra-strong mints in her handbag for use before important client meetings.

### 3. place where money is made

noun · CEFR B2

a place where a country's official coins and notes are made.

For teachers: a primary industrial facility or institution where a government authorises the production of legal tender.

- The royal mint is responsible for making all the new coins in the country.
- The national mint increased production of the commemorative gold coins to meet the unexpected surge in collector demand.

### 4. a large amount of money

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a very large amount of money.

For teachers: a vast sum of money; often used in the phrase 'to make a mint'.

- That tech company must be making a mint with their new app.
- After the patent was approved, the inventors made a mint by selling the rights to a multinational corporation.

### 5. perfect condition

adjective · CEFR B2

in perfect condition, looking exactly like it did when it was new.

For teachers: in original, pristine condition as if newly produced; frequently used by collectors of books, cars, or records.

- He sold his old comic book for a lot of money because it was in mint condition.
- The vintage sports car was found in a garage, still in mint condition despite being thirty years old.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'in mint condition'.

### 6. excellent

adjective · CEFR C1 · Slang · British English · Dialect

very good or excellent.

For teachers: an adjective of high praise meaning excellent or very attractive.

- That new jacket you bought is absolutely mint.
- The atmosphere at the concert last night was mint, and the band played all their best hits.

### 7. to create money or tokens

verb · CEFR B2

to make new coins or to create a new digital currency.

For teachers: to manufacture coins by stamping metal; in modern contexts, to create a new digital asset or NFT on a blockchain.

- The government decided to mint more coins to celebrate the anniversary.
- The artist announced they would mint a limited series of digital artworks on the blockchain next Tuesday.

## Examples

- The government opened a new mint to produce the silver coins.
- The star player is reportedly making a mint from his latest sponsorship deal with the shoe company.
- While the royal mint focused on maintaining the purity of the gold coinage, private banks were busy issuing their own paper notes to satisfy the growing demand for credit.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.