Mina

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A unit of currency used in various historical contexts, it also refers to a weight measurement for precious metals, and is a name for certain geographical locations, notably in the Middle East
2. This term denotes an ancient form of currency utilized in trade, serves as a standard for weighing gold and silver, and can designate specific regions or municipalities
3. Historically, it represents a monetary unit across different cultures, signifies a weight standard largely for metals, and is associated with various places, especially in Arab nations

Etymology: The English noun "mina" arrived by two quite different routes that happen to meet in the same name. The older one runs through Latin "mina" from Ancient Greek "mnā", a unit of weight and money that also appears in the Hebrew "maneh". That unit, used across the ancient Near East, was equal to a hundred drachmas or shekels and fed into the English word "maund", a unit of weight. The Greek and Hebrew forms are close relatives, which is why the same measure turns up in both languages. A separate and unrelated "mina" comes from Hindi "mainā" or Urdu "mینا", a word for the myna bird. Its ultimate source is Sanskrit "madana", a word the bird's name seems to derive from. Because the two words look identical in English, readers often assume they share a root, but they do not.

Synonyms: weight, measure