Mincing Lane
Preserved but no longer current.
Called in the 13th century Menechinelane, Monechenlane, etc., and in the time of Henry VIJI Mynchyn Lane. The name is from A.S. mynechenn, a nun (fem. of munuc, monk), and the street is probably so called from the tenements held there by the nuns of St. Helen's, in Bishopsgate Street. Mincing Lane is the centre of the tea trade, for which it is often used as a generic term.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Mincing Lane” mean?
Called in the 13th century Menechinelane, Monechenlane, etc., and in the time of Henry VIJI Mynchyn Lane. The name is from A.S. mynechenn, a nun (fem. of munuc, monk), and the street is probably so called from the tenements held there by the nuns of St. Helen's, in Bishopsgate Street. Mincing Lane is the centre of the tea trade, for which it is often used as a generic term.
Is “Mincing Lane” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.