minced

UK: mɪnst | US: mɪnst

Definition
  1. adj. (of food) finely chopped or ground into small pieces

  2. vt. past tense and past participle of "mince" (to cut or grind food into small pieces)

Structure
mince <to cut small>ed <past tense suffix>
Etymology

The word "mince" originates from the Old French "mincier," meaning "to cut into small pieces," which itself derives from the Latin "minutiare" (from "minutus," meaning "small"). The suffix "-ed" marks the past tense or past participle form. Over time, "minced" evolved to specifically describe finely chopped food, retaining its core idea of reduction in size.

Examples
  1. She added minced garlic to the sauce for extra flavor.

  2. The recipe calls for minced onions, not sliced ones.

  3. He carefully minced the herbs before sprinkling them over the dish.

  4. The minced meat was seasoned with spices and formed into patties.

  5. Avoid buying pre-minced ginger; freshly minced tastes better.