mincing

American  

[min-sing] / ˈmɪn sɪŋ /

adjective

1. (of the gait, speech, behavior, etc.) affectedly dainty, nice, or elegant.

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mincing British  

/ ˈmɪnsɪŋ /

adjective

1. (of a person) affectedly elegant in gait, manner, or speech

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Other Word Forms

• mincingly
  adverb
• unmincing
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of mincing

First recorded in 1520–30; mince + -ing ²

Explanation

Mincing is an adjective that describes someone who is being especially dainty or refined. The voices of older women who speak as though they're young girls can be described as mincing. Mincing is primarily used as an adjective meaning to be noticeably — and perhaps oddly or unnaturally — dainty or refined. You might remark, for example, on a lumberjack who takes mincing steps across a log, or a woman who speaks to her dog in a mincing voice. In these cases, the daintiness is unnatural — it's put on for show — or in the case of the lumberjack, so he won't fall off the log.

Example Sentences

One may be the loneliest number, but No. 2 is what sent Shaquille O’Neal urgently mincing off the “Inside the NBA” stage last month while the cameras kept running.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2025

Just crumbling goat cheese, chopping chives and mincing shallots, really — and don’t overmix.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2025

His soft, thoughtful delivery forces the listener to take note and when he speaks he is usually very direct, rarely mincing his words.

From BBC • Jul. 14, 2024

But we tie ourselves in knots deploring how slow and technical and mincing legal accountability can be.

From Slate • Jan. 19, 2024

Laila remembered another fight, and, that time, Mammy had stood over Babi and said in a mincing way, That’s your business, isn't it, cousin?

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini