mens rea
mens rea · mentes reae
A reactive mind, a conscious knowing by the individual that an act was committed,…A reactive mind, a conscious knowing by the individual that an act was committed, either by themselves or by another.
/ˌmɛnz ˈɹiːə/
Meaning
2 senses(general)A reactive mind, a conscious knowing by the individual that an act was committed, either by themselves or by another.
A guilty mind, the conscious knowing of a perpetrator while committing an act that the act is illicit.
More definitions
- (law) criminal intent; the thoughts and intentions behind a wrongful act (including knowledge that the act is illegal); often at issue in murder trials
Translations
2 languagesOrigin
From Latin mēns + reus (literally “guilty mind”), from the English common law precept ActuFrom Latin mēns + reus (literally “guilty mind”), from the English common law precept Actus non facit reum nisi mens rea sit ("The act does not make a person guilty unless the mind is also guilty").
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: mentes reae| Singular | mens rea |
|---|---|
| Plural | mentes reae |
irregular · Lesson
Synonyms
1 synonymsClose in meaning
- (law) criminal intent; the thoughts and intentions behind a wrongful act (including knowledge that the act is illegal); often at issue in murder trials:malice aforethought
Word family
1 related wordsRelatedactus reus
Lessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Plural nouns — Because its plural is irregular