mlýnky

Mlýnky is the Czech plural form of mlýnek, meaning small mills or grinders. The term designates devices used for grinding cereal grains, seeds, coffee, or spices. It derives from mlýn (mill) with the diminutive suffix -ek, and is mainly used in Czech-speaking regions.

Traditionally, mlýnky were common in rural households. They ranged from small hand-operated devices that turned with a crank to larger installations powered by water or wind. Ground material passed between two grinding surfaces, typically a rotating upper stone and a fixed lower bedstone, producing flour, meal, or paste. The exact mechanism varied by model, but the purpose remained milling or grinding.

In contemporary usage the name also covers modern kitchen grinders, especially coffee grinders (mlýnek na kávu) and spice grinders, which may use burrs or blades rather than stones. The term is primarily descriptive and varies by region and historical period.

Mlýnky may also be part of place names in Central Europe; toponymy often reflects historical mills that stood on rivers or streams and gave their area its name. The word thus appears in geographic as well as domestic contexts.

Overall, mlýnek and mlýnky highlight the long human practice of turning grain and seeds into flour or powder, a foundational step in food preparation and traditional economies.