mensa

¹ American  

[men-suh] / ˈmɛn sə /

noun

PLURAL

mensas, mensae,

GENITIVE

Mensae

1. Also called altar stone.  Also called altar slab,.  the flat stone forming the top of the altar in a Roman Catholic church.

2. (initial capital letter) the Table, a southern constellation near Octans.

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Mensa ² American  

[men-suh] / ˈmɛn sə /

noun

1. an international fellowship organization for people with IQ's in the top 2 percent of the general population.

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Mensa ¹ British  

/ ˈmɛnsə /

noun

1. a faint constellation in the S hemisphere lying between Hydrus and Volans and containing part of the Large Magellanic Cloud

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Mensa ² British  

/ ˈmɛnsə /

noun

1. an international society, membership of which is restricted to people whose intelligence test scores exceed those expected of 98 per cent of the population

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Other Word Forms

• Mensan noun

Etymology

Origin of mensa¹

First recorded in 1685–95; from Latin mēnsa “table”

Origin of Mensa²

From the Latin word mēnsa table, symbolizing the original conception of the society, “a round table where no one has precedence”

Example Sentences

In late May, a 2-year-old became an accepted member in American Mensa for her 146 IQ.

From Fox News

A 2-year-old girl has just made history as the youngest member of American Mensa.

From Fox News

Moreover, Mensa only admits people who receive IQ scores that are in the top 2% of a population.

From Fox News

"Kashe is a remarkable girl, and what may be rare here is that Kashe's gifts have been recognized so early in life. Her parents will be able to help her with some of the unique challenges gifted youth encounter," American Mensa’s Executive Director Trevor Mitchell told Fox News via email.

From Fox News

"Being the smartest person in the room isn't always easy, and Mensa understands the importance of being challenged by others, of having our potential recognized, and of celebrating achievements," Mitchell added.

From Fox News