mental-health
UK[ˈmɛntl hɛlθ]US[ˈmɛntl hɛlθ]
n
A person's condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.
n
The state of being free from mental illness.
Morpheme Breakdown
mental
health
mental
of the mind
health
well-being
Etymology
The compound term "mental health" is a modern construction that directly combines two ancient concepts to describe a specific domain of well-being. The first element, "mental," traces back to the Latin mens, meaning "mind," which itself originates from the Proto-Indo-European root men-, denoting thought and the mind. The second element, "health," comes from the Old English hǣlþ, a state of being whole or sound, derived from the Germanic root hailaz. The logic of the compound is transparent: it applies the ancient ideal of holistic soundness specifically to the psychological and emotional sphere, reflecting a 20th-century shift towards viewing the mind as an integral component of overall wellness, distinct from yet connected to physical health.
Analysis
Structure: mental (of the mind) + health (well-being)
- mental: From Latin mentalis, from mens (mind). An adjective-forming suffix indicating relation to the mind.
- health: From Old English hǣlþ, from hāl (whole, sound). A noun-forming suffix indicating a state or condition of wholeness.
Examples
The company has introduced new policies to support employee mental health.
Good mental health is just as important as physical health.
She advocates for greater awareness and reduced stigma around mental health issues.