mentior

Latin

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *mentjōr, denominal verb from mēns, mentis (“mind”). The meaning "to lie" stems from a semantic shift "to be inventive, have second thoughts" > "to lie, conjure up". Compare comminīscor also from this root and again with these meanings.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈmen.ti.or/, [ˈmɛn̪t̪iɔr]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈmen.t͡si.or/, [ˈmɛnt̪͡s̪ior]

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

   Cur es ausus mentiri mihi?

   How dared you lie to me?

   • c. 200 BCE – 190 BCE, Plautus, Captivi 3.5.46
2. to pretend, feign

   Synonyms: fingō, simulō, ēmentior, affectō, dissimulō, praetendō

Conjugation

   Conjugation of mentior (fourth conjugation, deponent)

indicative		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	mentior	mentīris, mentīre	mentītur	mentīmur	mentīminī	mentiuntur
	imperfect	mentiēbar	mentiēbāris, mentiēbāre	mentiēbātur	mentiēbāmur	mentiēbāminī	mentiēbantur
	future	mentiar	mentiēris, mentiēre	mentiētur	mentiēmur	mentiēminī	mentientur
	perfect	mentītus + present active indicative of sum
	pluperfect	mentītus + imperfect active indicative of sum
	future perfect	mentītus + future active indicative of sum
subjunctive		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	mentiar	mentiāris, mentiāre	mentiātur	mentiāmur	mentiāminī	mentiantur
imperfect	mentīrer	mentīrēris, mentīrēre	mentīrētur	mentīrēmur	mentīrēminī	mentīrentur
perfect	mentītus + present active subjunctive of sum
pluperfect	mentītus + imperfect active subjunctive of sum
imperative		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	—	mentīre	—	—	mentīminī	—
	future	—	mentītor	mentītor	—	—	mentiuntor
non-finite forms		active			passive
		present	perfect	future	present	perfect	future
infinitives		mentīrī, mentīrier1	mentītum esse	mentītūrum esse	—	—	—
participles		mentiēns	mentītus	mentītūrus	—	—	mentiendus, mentiundus
verbal nouns		gerund				supine
		genitive	dative	accusative	ablative	accusative	ablative
		mentiendī	mentiendō	mentiendum	mentiendō	mentītum	mentītū

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

Related terms

• mendax
• mentītus

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

• mentiō

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.