mentality

[men-tal-i-tee]

noun

plural

mentalities 

1. mental capacity or endowment.

   a person of average mentality.

2. the set of one's mind; view; outlook.

   a liberal mentality.

mentality

/ mɛnˈtælɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of mental or intellectual ability

2. a way of thinking; mental inclination or character

   his weird mentality

Other Word Forms

• supermentality noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mentality¹

First recorded in 1685–95; mental ¹ + -ity

Example Sentences

They lack the nous, the game understanding, the mentality to squeeze the life out of a match that should be firmly in their grasp.

Read more on BBC

"I absolutely loved it. It's so nice to be back with all the girls. We showed the mentality that we needed to show," Hemp told BBC Sport.

Read more on BBC

Said Reed: “Knowing that you’re going against the best players every day at practice and once you get into the game, it’s easy — it’s way easier than practice. I feel like that’s the mentality.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Today’s record number of data centers at the planning stage is indicative of what Raymond James managing director Frank Louthan calls “kind of a gold rush mentality.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

That’s the mentality Hammack brings as she becomes a voting member next year on the Federal Open Market Committee, which sets benchmark interest rates.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• attitude 
• character 
• mind 
• mindset 
• outlook 
• personality 
• psychology 
• sense 
• understanding