minted
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All four verbs relate to producing money, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Coin' is the closest synonym to 'mint' — both mean to make metal currency, though 'coin' is slightly more common in everyday speech ('Do they still coin pennies?'). 'Strike' is a technical term focused on the stamping process ('a newly struck medal'), often used by collectors and historians. 'Issue' has a broader meaning: releasing any form of currency — paper or metal — into general circulation ('The bank issued new banknotes'). 'Forge' is sharply distinct: it means to copy coins or currency illegally with the intent to deceive ('He was arrested for forging fifty-dollar bills'). Learners should avoid confusing 'mint'/'coin' with 'forge' — the former are lawful production; the latter is counterfeiting.
Common collocations
Adverbs
- newly minted
- freshly minted
- recently minted
Prepositions
- at (the mint)
- by (the government)
- in (year)
Etymology
'Minted' is the past-participle form of the verb 'mint', which comes from the Old English word 'mynt' meaning 'coin' or 'money'. That word was borrowed from the Latin 'moneta', which originally referred to the temple of Juno Moneta in ancient Rome — the place where Roman coins were made. Over time, the verb sense expanded from literally stamping metal coins to figuratively 'creating' new words, as if coining a phrase puts it into circulation like currency.
First known use
12th century
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Noun (2)