demente
“demente” means “insane” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
insane, mad
Also: unhinged, crazy
📝 In Action
La idea de escalar esa montaña sin equipo me parece demente.
B1The idea of climbing that mountain without equipment seems insane to me.
Su comportamiento en la reunión fue completamente demente.
B2His behavior in the meeting was completely mad.
Tuvieron que detener a la mujer demente.
B1They had to stop the insane woman.
madman, lunatic
Also: crazy person
📝 In Action
El demente escapó del hospital psiquiátrico.
B2The madman escaped from the psychiatric hospital.
La demente fue detenida después de causar destrozos.
C1The lunatic (female) was detained after causing damage.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: demente
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'demente' correctly as an adjective?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin word *dēmens, dēmentis*, which literally means 'out of one's mind.' It combines the prefix *dē-* (meaning 'away from' or 'down') and *mens* (meaning 'mind' or 'intellect').
First recorded: 15th century (Spanish records)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'demente' the same as 'loco'?
They both mean 'crazy,' but 'demente' is generally more formal and serious, often implying a clinical or legal state of madness. 'Loco' is much more casual and can be used lightly (like 'that's crazy!').
Does 'demente' ever change its ending to match the noun?
No. 'Demente' is one of those Spanish adjectives that always ends in '-e' regardless of whether the noun it describes is masculine or feminine, singular or plural. For example, 'los planes dementes' (the insane plans).