Do you know the definition of sane? This article will provide you with all of the info you need on the word sane, including its definition, etymology, example sentences, and more!
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Kevin
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April 13, 2021
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What does the word sane mean?
According to Merriam-Webster Unabridged English Dictionary, Dictionary, and Cambridge Dictionary, the word sane, pronounced “seɪn” is an adjective that describes people that are of a sound mind, are rational, or who are free from mental illnesses. A person who is sane is in a reasonable state of mind and can be trusted to make decisions on their own. A sane person has a healthy mind, good judgment, and good sense. They are free of derangement. The noun forms of sane include sanity and saneness. There are also multiple intensities of the word sane: sane, saner, and sanest. These describe varying degrees of sanity.
The word sane is also used in many other languages to refer to someone who is of sound mind or free from mental illnesses. You may notice that some of these words are cognates or are similar to the English word sane. This is because sane is Latin in origin, as are many other languages, including the Romance languages. The below list of translations is from Word Sense.
- French: sain
- Esperanto: prudenta
- Romanian: sănătos (masc.)
- Indonesian: waras
- Swahili: razini
- Norwegian: tilregnelig, fornuftig
- Chinese – Mandarin: 神志正常 (shénzhì zhèngcháng), 頭腦清楚, 头脑清楚 (tóunǎo qīngchu), 頭腦清晰, 头脑清晰 (tóunǎo qīngxī)
- Arabic: عَاقِل
- Spanish: cuerdo
- Portuguese: são (masc.), sã (fem.)
- Russian: в своём уме́, в здра́вом уме́, вменя́емый
- Yiddish: קלאָר
- Finnish: terve; järjissään (adverb)
- Italian: sano di mente
What are synonyms and antonyms for the word sane?
There are many different words that one can use in place of the word sane. These are called synonyms, which are words and phrases that have the same definition as another given word or phrase. Synonyms are very useful to know if you want to avoid repeating yourself or if you simply want to expand your vocabulary. The below list of synonyms for the word sane is provided by Thesaurus.
- normal
- steady
- right-minded
- sapient
- fit
- sage
- sober
- sound
- intelligent
- rational
- both oars in water
- prudent
- discerning
- lucid
- levelheaded
- healthy
- all there
- balanced
- sagacious
- in one’s right mind
- right
- sensible
- logical
- together
- mentally sound
- having all marbles
- oriented
- judicious
- well
- moderate
- reasonable
- wise
- fair-minded
- compos mentis
- of sound mind
- self-possessed
- commonsensical
- playing with full deck
There are also many different words that have the opposite meaning of the word sane. These are called antonyms. Antonyms are also useful to know if you are looking to expand upon your base vocabulary and learn more about the English language. This list of antonyms for the word sane is also provided by Thesaurus.
- preposterous
- psychopathic
- foolish
- daft
- nuts
- irrational
- loony
- cuckoo
- screwy
- unsettled
- mental
- insane
- rabid
- moonstruck
- batty
- irresponsible
- nutty
- idiotic
- bizarre
- psychotic
- out of one’s mind
- impractical
- mad
- unhinged
- frenzied
- derailed
- cracked
- maniacal
- paranoid
- wild
- senseless
- lunatic
- fatuous
- crazy
- demented
- raging
- deranged
- of unsound mind
- mentally ill
- off one’s rocker
- crazed
- touched
- raving
- schizophrenic
What is the origin of the word sane?
According to Etymonline, the word sane has been used since the year 1721 to mean of sound mind. This is a back-formation from the word sanity, which is the noun form of the adjective sane. Both of these words stem from the Latin sanus meannid sound or healthy. This is used figuratively to mean that someone is of csound or correct mind. This overall is of uncertain origin, but people postulate that it could come from the Proto-Indo-European root seh-no, from the root seh, meaning to tie. There is a possibility this could also come from the Latin satis, meaning enough, however the true root is wholly unclear. The word sane was earlier used to refer to the health of the body in the 1620s. Related words from the same root include the adverb sanely as well as the words insane, sanatorium, sanitarium, sanitary, and sanity.
How can the word sane be used in a sentence?
There are many different circumstances in which people can be described as sane. This is a very commonly used word, especially in comparison to the antonym of sane, insane. In this example, Lainey and Yara are talking about a person that Lainey just went on a first date with.
Yara: So? How was he? Was it love at first sight?
Lainey: I mean, not really. He was sane, at least.
Yara: That’s all I get? Sane?
Lainey: There just wasn’t that spark, you know? He also kind of tried to tell me what to order, and kept calling the waiter by his first name. I dunno.
Yara: He’s sounding less sane by the minute.
Here, Lainey and Yara are using the word sane to talk about Lainey’s less than stellar date. In this next example, Yara has to undergo a psychological evaluation for a new job she is starting.
HR Rep: We can schedule your psych eval for next Friday, does that work?
Yara: I’m available, yes, but can you please clarify why you need to perform a psych eval? Is this standard practice for all the new hires?
HR Rep: It is standard, yes. Since you will be working with sensitive, highly classified information we need to make sure you are sane.
Overall, the word sane means that someone is of a healthy mind and sound judgment. A person who is sane is free form mental illness and can be trusted to make good decisions. The opposite of someone who is sane is someone who is insane, or who does not have the mental facilities to make rational decisions.
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