ENGLISH
REFERENCE

mental

adj. · n.
US //ˈmɛntəɫ// UK //mˈɛntəl// men·tal
  1. 1 relating to the mind (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Academic

    relating to the mind and the process of thinking.

    relating to the mind or intellectual processes as opposed to physical ones.

    Example

    The doctor asked about her mental health as well as her physical symptoms.

    Example

    The athlete focused on mental preparation, using visualisation techniques to maintain composure during the high-pressure final.
  2. 2 done in the mind (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    done in your head without writing anything down.

    performed or taking place within the mind, especially without external aids.

    Example

    She did some quick mental arithmetic to see if she had enough money.

    Example

    He made a mental note to call the supplier first thing Monday morning to resolve the shipping discrepancy.
Show 3 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 crazy or wild (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English Informal

    crazy, very strange, or extremely wild.

    denoting someone or something that is insane, foolish, or extremely chaotic. Informal and often used for emphasis.

    Example

    The crowd went mental when the band finally walked onto the stage.

    Example

    The traffic in the city centre was absolutely mental during the festival weekend, with cars backed up for miles.

    Usage

    Often used as a predicative adjective after 'be' or 'go'.

    Teacher's tip

    In British English, this is very common for describing a wild party or a person's strange behaviour, but it can be offensive if used to mock real illness.
  2. 4 relating to the chin (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Medicine

    relating to the chin or the lower jaw.

    relating to the chin or the mentum. Non-gradable and used exclusively in medical or biological contexts.

    Example

    The dentist gave him an injection near the mental nerve to numb his lower lip.

    Example

    The surgeon identified the mental foramen to avoid damaging the nerve during the reconstructive jaw procedure.

    Usage

    Used in anatomical naming, such as the 'mental nerve' or 'mental foramen'.
  3. 5 state of mind (n.)
    C1 Advanced Slang

    your current way of thinking or your mood.

    a person's state of mind or psychological outlook. Often used in sports or gaming contexts.

    Example

    You need to have the right mental to win a championship like this.

    Example

    The team's mental completely collapsed after they conceded the second goal in the final minutes.
Etymology 1

Borrowing from Middle French mental, from Late Latin mentālis, from mēns (“mind, disposition; heart, soul”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).

Etymology 2

c. 1727, from Latin mentum (“the chin”) + -al.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

© 2026 English Reference