presence of mind
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presence of mind
- /ˌpɹɛzn̩s əv ˈmaɪnd/ UK
- /ˌpɹɛz(ə)ns əv ˈmaɪnd/ US
Rhymes with -aɪnd
Where it comes from
Calque of Latin praesentia animī, from praesentia (“state of being present, presence”) + animī (the genitive singular of animus (“intellect, mind”)).
noun
-
Focused alertness, good sense, quick-thinking resourcefulness, or stability of feeling and thought, especially in spite of circumstances which are distracting, stressful, or otherwise challenging.
[A]s you are to hear the moſt unexpected and ſurprizing thing that perhaps ever befel any Family in the VVorld, I beg you to promiſe me you vvill receive it vvith Compoſure and a Preſence of Mind ſuitable to a Man of Senſe.
Similar: self-possession · Opposite: flakiness, flightiness, spaciness
Translations
Every language
noun focused alertness, good sense, quick-thinking resourcefulness, or stability of feeling and thought, especially in spite of circumstances which are distracting,
| Español | presencia de ánimo |
|---|---|
| Português | presença de espírito |
| Français | présence d'esprit |
| Deutsch | Geistesgegenwart |
| Română | prezență de spirit |
| Русский | прису́тствие духа prisútstvije duxa |
Talk about this word "presence of mind." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/presence%20of%20mind. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. presence of mind. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/presence%20of%20mind "presence of mind." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/presence%20of%20mind.Cite this
@misc{presence_of_mind_2026,
title = {presence of mind},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/presence%20of%20mind},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
