menso

Latin

Participle

mensō

1. dative masculine singular of mensus
2. dative neuter singular of mensus
3. ablative masculine singular of mensus
4. ablative neuter singular of mensus

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Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA: [ˈme̞n.so̞]
• See also: manso

Etymology

Arguedly from Latin mensa (“table”); it is thought that Medieval monks used names of inanimated objects to compare illiterate or dull people.

Adjective

menso m (feminine mensa, masculine plural mensos, feminine plural mensas)

1. (offensive, Mexico, Central America) foolish, dull
2. (offensive, Mexico, Central America) distracted, absent-minded
3. (offensive, Mexico) ignorant
4. (offensive, Mexico) inexpert
5. (offensive, Mexico) timid, shy
6. (offensive, Mexico) ingenuous, naive

Synonyms

• (foolish): bobo, tonto, tarado, insensato
• (distracted): distraído, absorto
• (ignorant): ignorante
• (inexpert): novato, inexperto, principiante
• (ingenuous): ingenuo, inexperto

Antonyms

• (foolish): listo, brillante, inteligente, aguzado
• (distracted): concentrado, atento, aguzado
• (ignorant): sabio, conocedor, inteligente
• (inexpert): experto, perito, conocedor
• (ingenuous): colmilludo

Derived terms

• mensada

Usage notes

• Although in some contexts sonso, bobo, tonto, menso, tarado, idiota, imbécil, estúpido and pendejo may be synonyms, in most contexts have a different degree, having sonso the mildest connotation, increasing its intensity in that rough order, to estúpido and pendejo, which have the most offensive sense.