mincing

8.9

Speaking or moving in a small, careful way to seem more refined than they are

adjective
/ˈmɪnsɪŋ/

: afectado

She walked with a mincing gait, carefully placing each foot to suggest elegance.

Because once you're, once you are mincing who, what eyes are on your script, you're in trouble right there.

Examples

The actor's mincing mannerisms were criticized for being overly dramatic.
It's a kind of feminized, mincing approach to the novel.
His mincing speech made it clear that he was trying to impress the guests.

Synonyms

prim

vsmincing

4 7.0

Very formal and proper in a stiff, old-fashioned way

is about affected delicate refinement rather than strict formal proper behaviour

twee

vsmincing

1 9.1

Too pretty and delicate in a way that seems silly or fake

is about affected delicate refinement, not about cute sentimental charm

niminy-piminy

vsmincing

Archaic

9.9

Too careful about manners in an obvious fake way

is the single word adjective for the same affected delicate sense

mincy

vsmincing

Archaic

9.5

Acting in a delicate, overly careful way

is used for delicate manner including speech as well as movement

Antonyms

natural

∞ 1.0

Not made or changed by people, coming from nature like sunlight

unrefined

3 4.4

In its natural raw state without processing

Compounds

mincing machine

3.4

A kitchen machine that cuts meat into small pieces

How Affected

mincing

8.9

affected

7.5

prim

8 7.9

dainty

14 4.9

Surface Forms

mincing positive

Morphology

mincing = mince (semi-transparent) = mince + ing

Formed regularly from the verb 'mince' + '-ing', but the adjectival meaning relies on the less common verb sense 'to walk or speak affectedly' rather than the more familiar sense 'to chop', which may mislead learners.

Etymology

Mincing comes from the old verb mince, which meant 'make small' and goes back to Latin minutus meaning 'small', like the English word minute. So to be mincing is to act very small or dainty in voice or movement, often in a way that feels artificial.