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

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?
  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.

Descendants

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.
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