stone mint: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (Specialist/Cultural)Informal, chiefly British; used in sweet shops and domestic contexts. Rare in American English where 'hard mint' or 'peppermint candy' is preferred.
Quick answer
What does “stone mint” mean?
A confection made from hard sugar, typically flavoured with peppermint oil and sometimes with a softer centre.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A confection made from hard sugar, typically flavoured with peppermint oil and sometimes with a softer centre.
A small, hard, rounded boiled sweet with a strong mint flavour; a specific type of traditional sweet or candy.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Common in UK sweet shops; virtually unknown in US general usage. US equivalents: 'peppermint candy', 'hard mints'.
Connotations
UK: Nostalgic, traditional, old-fashioned sweet shop. US: Unfamiliar term; may be interpreted literally as 'mint made of stone'.
Frequency
High frequency in UK sweet-specific contexts; extremely low frequency in US English.
Grammar
How to Use “stone mint” in a Sentence
[Verb] stone mints: buy, suck, crunch, offerVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “stone mint” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- a stone-mint flavour
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in confectionery manufacturing or retail.
Academic
Virtually never used.
Everyday
Used when discussing sweets/candy, particularly in UK.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “stone mint”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “stone mint”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “stone mint”
- Using 'stone mint' to refer to a mint plant (it's a sweet).
- Using the term in American contexts where it is not understood.
- Spelling as one word 'stonemint'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Polos and Tic Tacs are breath mints with a hole or a specific shape, manufactured with different processes. Stone mints are traditional boiled sweets, often larger and without a hole.
It is not recommended, as the term is not widely recognised. Use 'peppermint candy' or 'hard mints' instead to be understood.
Because of its very hard, rock-like texture, similar to other 'stone' fruits/sweets which describe hardness (e.g., 'stone ground').
Typically yes, peppermint is the standard and most common flavour, though historically other mint varieties might have been used.
A confection made from hard sugar, typically flavoured with peppermint oil and sometimes with a softer centre.
Stone mint is usually informal, chiefly british; used in sweet shops and domestic contexts. rare in american english where 'hard mint' or 'peppermint candy' is preferred. in register.
Stone mint: in British English it is pronounced /stəʊn mɪnt/, and in American English it is pronounced /stoʊn mɪnt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(as) hard as a stone mint”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a stone – hard and greyish-white. A stone mint is a sweet that is hard like a stone and minty in flavour.
Conceptual Metaphor
MATERIAL FOR TEXTURE (Stone = Hardness)
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'stone mint' primarily?