mentally
UK[ˈmɛntəli]US[ˈmɛntəli]
adv
in a manner relating to the mind or the process of thinking
adv
with regard to mental health or psychological state
Morpheme Breakdown
ment
al
ly
ment
mind
al
adjective suffix
ly
adverb suffix
Etymology
the word 'mentally' is built upon the latin root ment-, derived from mens meaning "mind, intellect, reason". this root is shared by many english words concerning thought, such as 'mental', 'mention', and 'demented'. the latin adjectival suffix -alis was added to form 'mental', meaning "of or pertaining to the mind". finally, the old english adverbial suffix -ly was appended, a common germanic construction for creating adverbs from adjectives. thus, the literal construction "in a mind-related manner" evolved into its modern abstract meanings, encompassing both cognitive processes and psychological conditions.
Analysis
Structure: ment (mind) + al (adjective suffix) + ly (adverb suffix)
- ment: from latin mens, ment- (mind), functioning as the core root.
- al: from latin -alis, a suffix forming adjectives meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by".
- ly: from old english -līce, an adverb-forming suffix meaning "in a manner of, like".
Examples
she was mentally preparing for the challenging exam.
the experience left him mentally and physically exhausted.
it is important to stay mentally active as you age.