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• mensa
  mensa

  noun

  the flat stone forming the top of the altar in a Roman Catholic church.
• Mensa
  Mensa

  noun

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

mensa

¹ American  

[men-suh] / ˈmɛn sə /

noun

• mensas,
  plural
• mensae,
  plural
• Mensae
  genitive

1. Also called altar stone, 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

Derived Forms

• Mensan
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• mensae
  plural
• mensas
  plural

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

See Examples For:

mensa Mensa mensae

But an answer was afforded by any conduct which would have supported a decree of divorce a mensa et thoro.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 5 "Dinard" to "Dodsworth" by Various

This doctrine was of considerable importance even in the days when only divorces a mensa et thoro were granted, because at that time the parties were not permitted to separate by consent.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 5 "Dinard" to "Dodsworth" by Various

So he pulled out two three-legged stools, and very soon I was trying to fix my wandering wits and decline mensa.

From Noughts and Crosses Stories, Studies and Sketches by Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch

Thanks to the latter, Johannes found bed and board, mensa splendida et delicata at the provost's of the chapter, a great personage occupying the handsomest mansion of Spires, the habitual quarters of the Emperor.

From Bartholomew Sastrow Being the Memoirs of a German Burgomaster by Bartholomew Sastrow

Divorce a mensa et thoro could be granted on the grounds allowed by the canon law.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 5 "Dinard" to "Dodsworth" by Various

The show, set for Thursday, will be a wholly Chicago affair — longtime collaborator Vic Mensa will open the night with a throwback performance of his own cult classic “Innanetape,” which turns 10 this month.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2023

Months later, he helped organize the Black Star Line Festival in Ghana, which drew 50,000 people and featured performances from Chance and Mensa along with Erykah Badu, T-Pain, Sarkodie and more.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2023

“This album is a story of redemption; trial and triumph, pain and glory,” Mensa said in a statement.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 10, 2023

Herman is a member of Mensa, the society for those who have the highest IQs in the world.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 29, 2023

Our tests were administered by an attractive French psychologist named Madame Haberman, who was herself a Mensa member.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

The century writers777 make out of Dionysius Alexandrinus's epistle to Xistus, bishop of Rome, that the custom of the church of Alexandria in receiving the sacrament, was, ut mensae assisterent.

From The Works of Mr. George Gillespie (Vol. 1 of 2) by George Gillespie

In the religion of the family Ovid indeed has charmingly expressed it, perhaps on the authority of some lost passage of Varro296:— ante focos olim scamnis considere longis mos erat, et mensae credere adesse deos.

From The Religious Experience of the Roman People From the Earliest Times to the Age of Augustus by W. Warde Fowler

At once O'Toole's face brightened, and with a shout of pride he reeled out, "Mensa, mensa, mensam, mensae, mensae, mensa."

From Clementina by A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley) Mason