Mink

/mɪŋk/ noun, slang

noun, slang ·Moderate ·High school level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: Any semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammal in the Mustelinae subfamily, similar to weasels, with dark fur, native to Europe and America, of which two species in different genera are extant: the American mink (Neogale vison) and the European mink (Mustela lutreola).
  • Grammar: mink is listed as noun, slang.
  • Nearest alternatives: animal, antelope, armadillo, bat.
  • Useful contrasts: austere, colorless, faux fur.
  • Usage evidence: I hear she's a sleek bit of mink.

How to use "mink"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "mink" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "mink" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "mink" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "mink" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "mink" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "animal" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "mink", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Any semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammal in the Mustelinae subfamily, similar to weasels, with dark fur, native to Europe and America, of which two species in different genera are extant: the American mink (Neogale vison) and the European mink (Mustela lutreola).

    "The Minx […] frequents the water like the Otter, and very much reſembles it in ſhape and color, but is leſs; will abide longer under the water than the muſk quaſh, muſk rat, or little beaver: […]"

  2. 2
    slender-bodied semiaquatic mammal having partially webbed feet; valued for its fur wordnet
  3. 3
    The fur or pelt of a mink, used to make apparel.

    "From Michaelmas 1739. to Michaelmas 1740. Skins. […] Mink at 2s. 4d. Elk at 8s. Deer at 2s. 7½ per Skin."

  4. 4
    fur coat made from the soft lustrous fur of minks wordnet
  5. 5
    An article of clothing made of mink.

    "At one point, money was stolen from one of the bedrooms. […] Afte that, the family employees were often tested. [Katherine] Jackson would leave the alarm on the closet unarmed, the one in which she kept her minks, chinchillas, and other expensive furs."

Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    the expensive fur of a mink wordnet
  2. 7
    A person with poor personal hygiene; a smelly person. Scotland, derogatory, slang

Antonyms

Example

"I hear she's a sleek bit of mink."

Common questions

What does "mink" mean?

Any semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammal in the Mustelinae subfamily, similar to weasels, with dark fur, native to Europe and America, of which two species in different genera are extant: the American mink (Neogale vison) and the European mink (Mustela lutreola).

What is a synonym for "mink"?

Common synonyms include: animal, antelope, armadillo, bat, brown, brownish.

How do you use "mink" in a sentence?

I hear she's a sleek bit of mink.

How do you pronounce "mink"?

Pronounced /mɪŋk/.

Etymology

From Late Middle English mynk (“fur of the European mink”), apparently from Swedish mink, mänk, menk (“stinking animal in Finland, mink”). Compare Danish mink (“mink”), Icelandic minkur (“mink”).

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