minging

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɪŋɪŋ/

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

  Rhymes: -ɪŋɪŋ

Etymology 1

From Scots mingin (“stinking”), present participle of ming (“to stink”), from Middle English mengen (“to mix”), from Old English mengan (“to mix”).

Adjective

minging (comparative more minging, superlative most minging)

1. (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang) Very unattractive; ugly.
   • 2011, Melvin Burgess, Kill All Enemies, Penguin UK, →ISBN:

     Once, Cookie even tried to get me to give it a go with Jez – can you believe the nerve of that? 'Why would I want to do that? He's minging.' 'Why not? It won't hurt. He never gets a shag.' 'No, Cookie. Bloody hell.' He hasn't got a clue. 'Wouldn't you be jealous?' 'No.' 'You're an idiot. Why do you think he never gets a shag?' 'Why?' 'Because he's minging!' 'So? I'm minging. We're all minging. None of us are exactly page three, are we, Billie?'

2. (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang) Unclean or dirty; disgusting and foul-smelling.
   • 2011, Lucy Kellaway, The Answers: All the office questions you never dared to ask, Profile Books, →ISBN, page 82:

     Cleaners are always prime suspects for office thefts but in my long experience it's nearly all employees, with a tiny remainder down to traditional burglary. My advice is to presume the Nike-clad cleaner innocent and take personal stuff home, especially minging sportswear.

   • 2016 December 3, Millie B (lyrics and music), “Soph Aspin Send”, performed by Millie B:

     How can you shag bare lads? / Is your fanny not stinging? / I bet your fanny's fucking minging

Etymology 2

From the present participle of mengen (“stir up someone's mind”) or formed from English ming (“to bring to (someone's) mind”). In Middle English, came to mean 'an exhortation'. In the 17th and 18th centuries attaining a specialized medical sense before becoming obsolete.

Noun

minging (plural not attested)

1. (medicine, rare, obsolete) A premonitory symptom.

Further reading

• “minging”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.