compos mentis
English
editEtymology
editFrom Latin compos (“in control, having mastery”) + mentis (“of mind”).
Pronunciation
editAdjective
editcompos mentis (not comparable)
- (law) Of sound mind, sane; thus fully accountable (legally and/or morally) for one's deeds.
- 1810, [anonymous] […], chapter XXVIII, in Splendid Follies. A Novel, […]. Founded on Facts., volume III, London: […] J[ames] F[letcher] Hughes, […], →OCLC, pages 112–113:
- ‘[…] you have my hearty consent, sir, to marry the girl whensumdever it’s convenient.’ Dame Mayrose finished her speech with a low courtesy, and Tom Sponge sat like a petrified image. ‘For God’s sake, Mrs. Mayrose, are you compos mentis?’ said he. ‘Please your honour, I don’t understand no foreign languages,’ said the good woman, ‘but my darter tells me you want to make proposhalls.’
Antonyms
editTranslations
editof sound mind
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References
edit- The Chambers Dictionary, 9th Ed., 2003