mentior

Latin

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *mentjōr, denominal verb from mēns, mentis (mind). Further from Proto-Indo-European *méntis, from *men-. The meaning "to lie" stems from a semantic shift "to be inventive, have second thoughts" > "to lie, conjure up". Compare comminīscor, commentum also from this root and again with these meanings. Further compare cognate Russian мни́мый (mnímyj), сомни́тельный (somnítelʹnyj).

Also compare typologically Russian вы́мысел (výmysel) (akin to мысль (myslʹ)).

Pronunciation

Verb

mentior (present infinitive mentīrī or mentīrier, perfect active mentītus sum); fourth conjugation, deponent

  1. (with dative) to lie, cheat, deceive
    Synonyms: ēmentior, dēcipiō, frūstror, fraudō, ēlūdō, dēstituō, fallō, circumdūcō, circumveniō, ingannō, indūcō
    • c. 200 BCE – 190 BCE, Plautus, Captivi 3.5.46:
      Cur es ausus mentiri mihi?
      • Translation by Wolfgang de Melo
        Why did you dare to lie to me?
  2. to pretend, feign
    Synonyms: fingō, simulō, ēmentior, affectō, dissimulō, praetendō

Conjugation

1The present passive infinitive in -ier is a rare poetic form which is attested.

Descendants

  • Asturian: mentir
  • Catalan: mentir
  • French: mentir
  • Friulian: mintî
  • Galician: mentir
  • Italian: mentire
  • Mirandese: mintir
  • Occitan: mentir
  • Portuguese: mentir
  • Romanian: minți, mințire
  • Spanish: mentir
  • Venetan: mentir

See also

References

  • mentior”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • mentior”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • mentior”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
  • De Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 372