Learn about the difference between the homophones: mean and mien

Definitions

mean

Mean can be used as a verb, adjective, or noun. As a verb, it means to intend or signify something. As an adjective, it refers to something unkind or cruel. As a noun, it refers to the average of a set of numbers.

Example

What do you mean by that?

Example

He was being mean to his little sister.

Example

The mean of the test scores was 85.

mien

Mien is a noun that refers to a person's appearance, demeanor, or facial expression.

Example

She had a haughty mien that put off many people.

Example

His mien was calm and collected during the interview.

Tips To Remember the Differences

Here are a few tips to easily distinguish the difference between these words while keeping in mind the description we've provided:

- To remember the difference between these two words, think of mean as being related to intention or average, while mien is related to appearance or demeanor. - You might also associate mean with negativity, since it can refer to something unkind or cruel.