mentalization

M3E1N1T1A1L1I1Z10A1T1I1O1N1

noun

The ability to understand mental states that underlies the overt behaviour of oneself or others.

Scrabble 24
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounmentalization (usually uncountable, plural mentalizations)

plural mentalizations

  1. uncountableusuallyhuman sciencesThe ability to understand mental states that underlies the overt behaviour of oneself or others.

Origin

From mental + -ization.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

German Mentalisierung
  • Mentalisierungability to understand mental states
Cite this entry
APA

mentalization. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mentalization

MLA

“mentalization.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mentalization. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mentalization,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mentalization.

Source: mentalization on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.