MASTERMIND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does mastermind mean? 

• MASTERMIND (noun)
  The noun MASTERMIND has 2 senses:

1. someone who creates new things

2. someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality

  Familiarity information: MASTERMIND used as a noun is rare.

• MASTERMIND (verb)
  The verb MASTERMIND has 1 sense:

1. plan and direct (a complex undertaking)

  Familiarity information: MASTERMIND used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MASTERMIND (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone who creates new things

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

conceiver; mastermind; originator

Hypernyms ("mastermind" is a kind of...):

creator (a person who grows or makes or invents things)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "mastermind"):

beginner; father; founder; founding father (a person who founds or establishes some institution)

groundbreaker; innovator; pioneer; trailblazer (someone who helps to open up a new line of research or technology or art)

mover; proposer ((parliamentary procedure) someone who makes a formal motion)

proposer; suggester (someone who advances a suggestion or proposal)

Derivation:

mastermind (plan and direct (a complex undertaking))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

brain; brainiac; Einstein; genius; mastermind

Context example:

he's smart but he's no Einstein

Hypernyms ("mastermind" is a kind of...):

intellect; intellectual (a person who uses the mind creatively)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "mastermind"):

prodigy (an unusually gifted or intelligent (young) person; someone whose talents excite wonder and admiration)

• MASTERMIND (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they mastermind    ... he / she / it masterminds   
Past simple: masterminded   
Past participle: masterminded   
-ing form: masterminding   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Plan and direct (a complex undertaking)

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

direct; engineer; mastermind; orchestrate; organise; organize

Context example:

he masterminded the robbery

Hypernyms (to "mastermind" is one way to...):

plan (make plans for something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "mastermind"):

choreograph (plan and oversee the development and details of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

mastermind (someone who creates new things)