Mirins

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Plural form of a sweet Japanese rice wine used chiefly in cooking to add flavor and sweetness ; third-person singular form describing the act of looking at someone with admiration or fondness in informal contexts ; a collective term referring to various types of this traditional seasoning ingredient found in East Asian cuisine
2. Refers to multiple bottles or servings of a sweet, low-alcohol rice wine popular in culinary uses ; denotes an individual’s action of gazing affectionately or admiringly at another person ; indicates several variations or brands of a sweet fermented rice beverage commonly used to enhance dishes
3. Indicates a quantity of sweetened rice wine used as a seasoning in Japanese recipes ; describes the behavior of expressing fondness or admiration through one's gaze ; represents different kinds or instances of this sweet cooking wine frequently utilized in Asian kitchens

Etymology: Mirin is the Japanese word 味醂, and English borrowed it directly from Japanese. The plural "mirins" is simply the English form used when speaking of several bottles or brands of the seasoning. The Japanese term itself refers to a sweet rice wine with a low alcohol content, traditionally used in cooking to add sweetness and gloss to dishes. The other meanings listed for "mirins" (a person gazing admiringly at someone, or a sense of gazing affectionately) are not part of this word's history, and that sense does not come from the Japanese term. Only the culinary sense belongs to this word's origin.