mental

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈmɛn.təl/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like mantel /ɛ/ vs /æ/ Sounds like mantle /ɛ/ vs /æ/

Freq #2621

Meanings

1

adj
Relating to the mind or to thinking.

Solving puzzles is good mental exercise.
2

adj
Relating to or affected by an illness of the mind.

The clinic specializes in mental health care.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · relating to the mind or to... psychological

Word family

Derived forms amentalbasilomentalbimentalcardosubmentalcervicomentalcorneomentalextramentalfrontomentalgulamentalhyomentalinframentalintermental

Appears in

Phrases (11)

See all

mental health
a person's psychological and emotional wellbeing

Adjective + noun
mental picture
an image formed in the mind

Adjective + noun
mental state
the condition of a person's mind at a given time

Adjective + noun
mental anguish
deep and persistent emotional suffering

Adjective + noun
mental confusion
a state in which thinking becomes unclear or disorganized

Adjective + noun
mental illness
a condition that seriously affects a person's thoughts, feelings, or behavior

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Mental, recorded in late Middle English, ultimately derives from Latin mens ‘mind’, whose ancient root is also shared by English mind.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *men- Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *mn̥tós Proto-Italic *məntom Latin mentum Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English mental c. 1727, from Latin mentum (“the chin”) + -al.

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# mental

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈmɛn.təl/
**Frequency rank:** 2621

## Meanings
1. Relating to the mind or to thinking.
2. Relating to or affected by an illness of the mind.

## Examples
- Solving puzzles is good mental exercise.
- The clinic specializes in mental health care.

## Derived Forms
- amental
- basilomental
- bimental
- cardosubmental
- cervicomental
- corneomental
- extramental
- frontomental
- gulamental
- hyomental
- inframental
- intermental

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *men- Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *mn̥tós Proto-Italic *məntom Latin mentum Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English mental c. 1727, from Latin mentum (“the chin”) + -al.

## AI Etymology
Mental is recorded c. 1727 from Latin mentum (“the chin”) + -al. The formation is a Latin-based adjective in -al. In present-day English it covers what relates to the mind or thinking and what relates to illness of the mind. Related and derived forms include amental, basilomental, and bimental.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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