Mint has 16 different meanings across 4 categories:
Noun · Verb · Adjective · Proper Noun
(often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent
"a batch of letters"
"a deal of trouble"
"a lot of money"
"he made a mint on the stock market"
"see the rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos"
"it must have cost plenty"
"a slew of journalists"
"a wad of money"
any north temperate plant of the genus Mentha with aromatic leaves and small mauve flowers
"The gardener carefully pruned the mint to keep its aromatic leaves healthy before it began blooming with small mauve flowers."
any member of the mint family of plants
"The garden was filled with various herbs, including peppermint and spearmint from the mint family."
the leaves of a mint plant used fresh or candied
"She sprinkled fresh mint over the lemonade to give it a refreshing flavor."
a candy that is flavored with a mint oil
"She popped a piece of hard mint into her mouth after finishing her spicy meal to freshen up her breath."
a plant where money is coined by authority of the government
"The Treasury Secretary visited the mint to inspect how new coins were being stamped before they entered circulation."
A building or institution where money (originally, only coins) is produced under government licence.
"The mint of our success was built on years of relentless hard work and dedication."
Any plant in the genus Mentha in the family Lamiaceae, typically aromatic with square stems.
Intent, purpose; an attempt, try; effort, endeavor.
In plain English: A mint is a place where coins are made and stamped with official designs.
"He always keeps his pocket full of crisp new mint coins."
Usage: Do not use the word "mint" to mean intent or effort, as that is a rare literary sense; in modern English, it refers exclusively to a place where currency or tobacco is manufactured or to something in perfect condition. Use this noun only when discussing coin production or describing an item's pristine state.
To reproduce (coins), usually en masse, under licence.
"She stepped back and minted at the distant target before releasing her arrow."
To try, attempt; take aim.
In plain English: To mint something means to create it by pressing it into shape, usually referring to making coins.
"He likes to mint his own coins as a hobby."
Usage: Do not use "mint" to mean trying or attempting something, as that is an archaic meaning no longer used in modern English. Instead, reserve the verb "mint" exclusively for contexts involving creating coins or producing currency.
Like new.
"The sky was such a fresh mint color after the rain cleared up."
Of a green colour, like that of the mint plant.
In plain English: Something that is mint is in perfect condition and looks brand new.
"The condition of those vintage coins was mint."
Usage: Use mint as an adjective to describe something that is a fresh, light shade of green, often resembling the color of the mint plant itself. This usage typically appears in phrases like "mint green" or "mint condition" when referring to the specific hue rather than currency or freshness.
Acronym of Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey.
"The new trade alliance was jokingly called MINT because it brings together Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey."
The word "mint" comes from Latin monēta, which referred to the temple of Juno Moneta where coins were originally made. It entered English through Middle and Old English, eventually evolving to mean both the act of making currency and the plant itself.