Standard Lemma guide

mastermind

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈmɑː.stə.mʌɪnd/
  • US: /ˈmæs.tɚˌmaɪnd/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: M AE1 S T ER0 M AY2 N D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A person with an extraordinary intellect or skill that is markedly superior to their peers.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A person responsible for the highest level of planning and execution of a major operation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To plan or execute (a project) in the role of mastermind.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Mozart was a child genius
  • he's smart but he's no Einstein

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: genius, brain, brainiac, Einstein

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: intellectual, intellect

Narrower terms: prodigy

5

noun

Meaning 5

someone who creates new things

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: originator, conceiver

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: creator

Narrower terms: founder, beginner, founding father, father, pioneer, innovator, trailblazer, groundbreaker, proposer, mover, suggester

6

verb

Meaning 6

plan and direct (a complex undertaking)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he masterminded the robbery

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: engineer, direct, organize, organise, orchestrate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: plan

Narrower terms: choreograph

History

Etymology

From master + mind.

Across languages

Translations

42 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: mozek — a person with extraordinary intellect
  • French: cerveau — a person with extraordinary intellect
  • French: tête — a person with extraordinary intellect
  • German: Superhirn — a person with extraordinary intellect
  • Slovak: mozok — a person with extraordinary intellect
  • Spanish: mente maestra — a person with extraordinary intellect
  • Ukrainian: мозок (mozok) — a person with extraordinary intellect
  • Ukrainian: голова (holova) — a person with extraordinary intellect
  • Bulgarian: ръководител (rǎkovoditel) — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Bulgarian: организатор (organizator) — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Catalan: cervell — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Catalan: ment pensant — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Czech: mozek — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Finnish: johtaja — a person responsible for a major operation
  • French: cerveau — a person responsible for a major operation
  • German: Drahtzieher — a person responsible for a major operation
  • German: Mastermind — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Greek: ιθύνων νους (ithýnon nous) — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Indonesian: dalang — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Japanese: 首謀者 (Shubō-sha) — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Russian: руководи́тель (rukovodítelʹ) — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Serbo-Croatian: руково̀дилац — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Serbo-Croatian: ко̏ловођа — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Serbo-Croatian: пла̀не̄р — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Serbo-Croatian: rukovòdilac — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Serbo-Croatian: kȍlovođa — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Serbo-Croatian: plànēr — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Slovak: mozok — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Spanish: cerebro — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Spanish: mente maestra — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Turkish: beyin — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Ukrainian: керівник (kerivnyk) — a person responsible for a major operation
  • Bulgarian: ръководя (rǎkovodja) — to act as mastermind
  • Bulgarian: организирам (organiziram) — to act as mastermind
  • Finnish: johtaa — to act as mastermind
  • French: organiser — to act as mastermind
  • French: diriger — to act as mastermind
  • Indonesian: mendalangi — to act as mastermind
  • Italian: orchestrare — to act as mastermind
  • Italian: architettare — to act as mastermind
  • Russian: руководи́ть (rukovodítʹ) — to act as mastermind
  • Russian: управля́ть (upravljátʹ) — to act as mastermind