Phrase guide

theory of mind

noun · 3 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

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The ability to form an opinion about what other people are thinking.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences

Examples

  • Lack of theory of mind is a classic symptom of autism-spectrum disorders

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: mindblindness

2

noun

Meaning 2

The intellectual ability to understand that different persons (other than the self) might have different intentions and knowledge.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Alternative letter-case form of theory of mind.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 心智理論 /心智理论 (xīnzhì lǐlùn) — ability to form an opinion about what other people are thinking
  • Finnish: mielen teoria — ability to form an opinion about what other people are thinking
  • Greek: θεωρία του νου (theoría tou nou) — ability to form an opinion about what other people are thinking
  • Greek: νοοθεωρία (nootheoría) — ability to form an opinion about what other people are thinking
  • Hungarian: tudatelmélet — ability to form an opinion about what other people are thinking