ming
ming Lexical Profile
ming Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Relating to or characteristic of the Ming dynasty of China, its culture, or the artistic and ceramic styles produced during its reign.
"The art historian specialized in Ming architecture and early imperial brushwork."
• noun
The imperial dynasty that ruled China from 1368 to 1644, noted for its expansion of trade, literature, and fine blue-and-white porcelain.
"The museum's East Asian wing features several rare ceramic vessels dating back to the Ming."
Porcelain or other fine ceramic ware produced in China during the Ming dynasty.
"The collector paid a small fortune at auction for an authentic piece of Ming."
Scottish A foul, unpleasant smell or stench.
"There was a terrible ming coming from the blocked kitchen drain."
• verb
British To emit a strong, foul odor; to be extremely unpleasant, dirty, or unattractive (slang, most commonly used in the present participle 'minging').
"Those wet gym shoes have been left in the bag all week and are starting to ming."
To mix, blend, or mingle things together (archaic or dialectal).
"In old rural recipes, the miller would ming the barley and rye flours before baking."
Word Nuance & Usage
When capitalized as 'Ming', it refers to the historical Chinese imperial dynasty (1368–1644) and its celebrated porcelain; in lowercase British and Scottish slang, 'ming' is a derogatory verb meaning to smell foul or look unattractive.
• Rhymes for ming
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The historical noun and adjective derive from Mandarin Chinese 'Míng' (明), meaning 'bright' or 'luminous'. The British slang verb originates from Scots 'ming', meaning to emit a foul odor, while the archaic verb meaning 'to mix' comes from Old English 'mengan'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.