Mina
/ˈmiː.nə/noun
An ancient unit of weight and money used in the Near East, Greece, and surrounding regions.
Did you know?In ancient Mesopotamia and the biblical world, a mina was a standardized weight of silver or gold, and its value could represent substantial economic power.
Etymological Timeline
2nd Millennium BCE
Akkadian
manû
“A standardized weight or unit of measurement, generally associated with precious metals.”
1st Millennium BCE
Hebrew
מָנֶה (maneh)
“A mina, a monetary weight used in biblical and ancient Near Eastern accounting.”
Classical Antiquity
Ancient Greek
μνᾶ (mnâ)
“A mina, a weight and monetary unit, commonly reckoned as sixty drachmas.”
Late Antiquity
Latin
mina
“A mina or ancient unit of weight and currency, borrowed from Greek.”
Modern English
English
mina
“An ancient Near Eastern or Greek unit of weight and money.”