mēns

From Proto-Italic *mentis, from Proto-Indo-European *méntis (“thought”). Cognate with Sanskrit मति (matí), αὐτόματος (autómatos), μάντις (mántis), Russian мнить (mnitʹ, “to think”), Old English ġemynd (whence English mind).

Pronunciation

(Classical) IPA^(key): /mens/, [mẽːs̠]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /mens/, [mɛns]

Noun

mēns f (genitive mentis); third declension

mind
intellect, reason
reasoning, judgement
heart, conscience (seat of the thoughts and will)
disposition [ synonyms ▲][ quotations ▼]
Synonyms: indolēs, ingenium, habitus, nātūra, character
thought, plan, purpose, intention [ synonyms ▲]
Synonyms: voluntās, intentiō, propositum, cōnsilium, fīnis, animus

Usage notes

In Classical Latin, the ablative singular mente was used with a feminine adjective to form a manner adjunct that expressed a person's intent, state of mind:

1st century BC, Catullus, poem 8, line 11:
sed obstinātā mente perfer, obdūrā

but with a resolute mind endure, be firm.

29-19 BC, Virgil, Aenid, book 4, line 105:
sēnsit enim simulātā mente locūtam

for she realized that (she) had spoken with false purpose.

In Late Latin, this construction began to be grammaticalised as a phrasal adverb and extended to other adjectives and uses as well; this process was finalised in Romance, resulting in a generic adverbial suffix (though still unstressed and separable in Spanish when more than one adverb is coordinated).

8th century, Reichenau Glossary
singulariter : solamente

singulariter [means] solamente [in the vernacular]

Declension

Third-declension noun (i-stem).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	mēns	mentēs
Genitive	mentis	mentium
Dative	mentī	mentibus
Accusative	mentem	mentēs mentīs
Ablative	mente	mentibus
Vocative	mēns	mentēs