What is the Latin word for mind?

The usual Latin words for “mind” are animus, mēns, nātūra; also ingenium, tranquillus, attendō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“mind” in Latin

animuslife, life force, soul, vitality (that life-giving aspect which animates a thing); conscience, intellect, mind, reason, mēnsmind; intellect, reason; reasoning, judgement nātūrathe nature, quality, substance or essence of a thing; character, temperament, inclination, disposition; nature, the natu ingeniuminnate or natural quality, natural character; nature; disposition, temper, inclination; intelligence, natural capacity tranquillusquiet, calm, still, tranquil; placid, composed, untroubled, undisturbed attendōto pay attention, attend (to), direct the attention towards; to direct or turn toward dīligōto esteem, prize, love, have regard, to delight in (something); to set apart by choosing, to single (something) out, to attineōto bring or hold to or near; to hold fast, keep, detain, hold back, delay; to hold possession of, retain, occupy, preser memormindful, remembering (+ genitive); heedful, recalling, suggesting; that has a good memory

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

mind

animus (general term, the whole soul or spiritual nature; also, more particularly, reason, sentiment, or will, or any special state of mind, as courage, anger, pleasure, pride, propensity or favorable inclination): mens (reason or intellect, or thought, considered as guiding the will; ea quae latet in animis hominum, quaeque pars animi mens vocatur, Cic., Rep., 2, 40; mens, cui regnum totius animi a natura tributum est, Cic., Tusc., 3, 5): natura, ingenium (the character, inclinations, and sentiments). The feelings or sensations of our minds, animi qui nostrae mentis sunt: a mind at variance with itself, animus a seipso dissidens secumque discordans: a calm or tranquil mind, animus tranquillatus or tranquillus: to bring anything to one’s mind, alicui aliquid ad animum revocare; aliquem de re monere: a man of firm mind, homo constans: it is the mark of a little and empty mind, that he, etc., illud pusilli animi, jejuni atque inanis, quod, etc.: I know his mind very well, ego illius sensum pulchre calleo (comic): a person’s mind and habits, alicujus ingenium et mores: strength of mind, animi vis (mental power); *magnum, quo aliquis valet ingenium; ingenii praestantia: weakness of mind, imbecillitas animi (but animi infirmitas is indecision of character); ingenium imbecillum (want of abilities): peace of mind, animi tranquillitas; animus quietus: to be in one’s right mind, mentis compotem esse; suae mentis esse; in potestate mentis esse: to be hardly in one’s right mind, dubiae sanitatis esse: not to be in one’s right mind, mente captum esse; de or ex mente exiisse; mente alienata esse: to go out of one’s mind, de or e potestate mentis exire; mente capi or alienari: to return to one’s right mind, ad sanitatem reverti: are you in your right mind? satin’ sanus es? I am in my right mind, mens mihi integra or sana est: culture of the mind, eruditio (instruction; or, the discipline and habits produced by training): true culture of the mind, *rectus ingenii cultus.

mind v.

To attend to or upon [Vid: ATTEND]. To mind one’s own business, nihil praeter suum negotium agere, nihil de alio anquirere (Cic., Off., 1, 34, 125); suarum rerum esse (Liv., 3, 38). To mind other people’s business, curare aliena; curare quae ad me nihil pertinent (Cic.) or attinent (Terentianus).

To care for, [Vid: CARE].

To remember, Vid. MINDFUL,

Attentive, attentus; diligens. Mindful of anything, diligens alicujus rei, attentus ad aliquid; attentus in aliqua re (Sall.).

Bearing in mind, not forgetful, memor; non immemor. To be mindful of, memorem esse alicujus rei; meminisse, recordari, reminisci alicujus rei or aliquid; aliquid memoria tenere, in memoria habere, memoria retinere.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for mind?: The usual Latin words for “mind” are animus, mēns, nātūra; also ingenium, tranquillus, attendō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.