51Թ

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View synonyms for

mental

1

[ men-tl ]

adjective

  1. of or relating to the mind:

    mental powers;

    mental suffering.

  2. of, relating to, or affected by a disorder of the mind:

    a mental patient;

    mental illness.

  3. providing care for persons with disordered minds, emotions, etc.:

    a mental hospital.

  4. performed by or existing in the mind:

    mental arithmetic;

    a mental note.

  5. pertaining to intellectuals or intellectual activity.
  6. Informal. slightly daft; out of one's mind; crazy:

    He's mental.



noun

  1. Informal. a person with a psychological disorder:

    a fascist group made up largely of mentals.

mental

2

[ men-tl ]

adjective

  1. of or relating to the chin.

mental

1

/ ˈɛԳə /

adjective

  1. of or involving the mind or an intellectual process
  2. occurring only in the mind

    mental calculations

  3. affected by mental illness Preferred formpsychiatric

    a mental patient

  4. concerned with care for persons with mental illness Preferred formpsychiatric

    a mental hospital

  5. slang.
    insane
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

mental

2

/ ˈɛԳə /

adjective

  1. anatomy of or relating to the chin Alsogenial
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈԳٲ, adverb
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of mental1

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Late Latin Գ, equivalent to Latin ment- (stem of ŧԲ ) mind + - -al 1

Origin of mental2

First recorded in 1720–30; from Latin ment(um) “the chin” ( mentum ) + -al 1
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of mental1

C15: from Late Latin Գ, from Latin ŧԲ mind

Origin of mental2

C18: from Latin mentum chin
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

It helps women who have complex needs with issues such as addiction, mental health and housing.

From

He advocated scaling back that team, which is trained to respond to calls involving people having mental health crises, until the department’s staffing levels improve.

From

The evidence from psychiatrists commissioned by both the defence and the prosecution all pointed the same way - Sharkey's mental illness meant she had a partial defence to murder.

From

Theirs is a post-Oprah self-help Christianity, with podcast episodes about dating, mental health, addiction and the struggles of adolescence.

From

Sharkey, now 55, was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, and told she must undergo mental health treatment.

From

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More About Mental

What doesmental mean?

Mental is an adjective that means relating to the mind.

It is especially used in contrast with physical, which means relating to the body. Mental is commonly used in the context of psychological disorders or the care and treatment of people who have them. One of its most common uses is in the phrase mental health.

Mental is sometimes used as a slang term with the same meaning as the informal sense of crazy, especially in the U.K. It’s typically used to describe a person or their behavior as being extreme or illogical in some way. Keep in mind, however, that when used in this way, words like crazy and mental may reinforce harmful stereotypes and associations with mental illness.

Example: To be an elite athlete, you have to be physically strong, but you also have to perfect the mental aspects of your game.

Where doesmental come from?

The first records of mental come from around the 1400s. It comes from the Late Latin term Գ, which derives from the Latin mens, meaning “mind.”

Due to the rise in acceptance, study, and treatment of mental illness, mental is very closely associated with such issues. It is often seen in phrases like mental health, mental fatigue, and mental hygiene. It is also very commonly used in a general way to describe things related to the mind or done in the mind, such as in the phrases mental note (a thought to remember something later), mental image (a picture seen in one’s mind), and mental math ǰmental arithmetic (math done in one’s head, as opposed to with a calculator or on paper).

Mental also has a definition separate from the mind entirely. The word mentum refers to the chin, so mental can be used to mean “relating to the chin.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to mental?

  • mentally (adverb)

What are some synonyms for mental?

What are some words that share a root or word element with mental?

What are some words that often get used in discussing mental?

How ismental used in real life?

Mental is most generally used to indicate things done with or in the mind as opposed to with the body. It is very closely associated with issues of mental health.

Try usingmental!

Which of the following actions is LEAST likely to be described as mental?

A. calculating a sum in your head
B. meditating
C. doing a push-up
D. picturing something in your mind

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