relating to the mind, thinking, or emotional processes rather than the body
After the accident, he needed time for mental recovery before going back to work.
Puzzles like chess are good mental exercise for older adults.
✦ From late Latin mentalis, from Latin mens “mind”.
(informal) crazy, wild, or extremely exciting
That roller coaster was absolutely mental!
My friends went mental when they heard the band announce a surprise show.
✦ Extension of the standard adjective "mental" to slang meaning "crazy" in British English, recorded since the late 20th century.
(anatomy) situated near or relating to the chin
The dentist injected anesthesia near the patient's mental nerve.
A small cut was found on the mental region after the fall.
✦ From Latin mentum “chin”, giving a separate anatomical sense distinct from the mind-related meaning.
connected with the natural world and how human activities affect it
The city launched an environmental campaign to reduce plastic waste.
Many students joined the school’s environmental club to plant trees around campus.
✦ Formed from environment + -al in the late 19th century to describe matters concerning the natural surroundings.
forming the basic and most important part of something
Understanding the water cycle is fundamental to grasping how weather works.
Trust is fundamental in any strong friendship.
✦ From late Latin fundamentalis “of the foundation”, from Latin fundamentum “foundation”.
the lowest natural frequency at which something vibrates, producing the main pitch of a sound
The fundamental of the note A is 440 hertz.
You can hear the overtones as well as the fundamental when the guitar string is plucked.
✦ technical extension of the general noun sense to acoustics and physics
describing an early or experimental version created to test or refine a product, idea, or process
The startup showcased a developmental prototype of its solar-powered drone.
This drug is still in the developmental stage and has not entered clinical trials yet.
✦ Extended from sense referring to growth; applied to products and technology in the mid-20th century to mean ‘still being developed’.
