mens rea
[ menz ree-uh ]
/ ˈmɛnz ˈri ə /
noun Law.
a criminal intent.
Origin of mens rea
First recorded in 1860–65,
mens rea is from the New Latin word
mēns rea
Words nearby mens rea
menoschesis,
menostasis,
menostaxis,
menotropins,
menotti,
mens rea,
mens sana in corpore sano,
mensa,
mensal,
mensch,
mense
British Dictionary definitions for mens rea
mens rea
/ (ˈmɛnz ˈreɪə) /
noun
law
a criminal intention or knowledge that an act is wrong. It is assumed to be an ingredient of all criminal offences although some minor statutory offences are punishable irrespective of it
Compare actus reus
Word Origin for mens rea
Latin, literally: guilty mind