mill
UK: mɪl | US: mɪl
n. a building equipped with machinery for grinding grain into flour
n. a machine or device for grinding, crushing, or pulverizing solid substances
vt. to grind or process in a mill
vt. to produce a ribbed or grooved edge on (a coin)
The word "mill" traces back to Old English mylen, derived from Late Latin molīna, meaning "mill" or "grinder," which itself comes from Latin molere ("to grind"). The Proto-Indo-European root mel- ("to crush, grind") underpins this evolution, linking to words like "meal" (ground grain) and "molar" (grinding tooth). The concept of mechanical grinding has remained central to its meaning, from ancient hand mills to modern industrial mills.
The old water mill still produces flour for the village.
The factory uses a ball mill to crush ore into fine powder.
The government decided to mill the edges of the new coins for security.
Farmers brought their wheat to the mill every harvest season.
Paper mills are a major source of pollution if not properly regulated.