mastermind
/ˈmæs.tɚˌmaɪnd/noun, verb
mastermind is spelled M-A-S-T-E-R-M-I-N-D: 10 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 2.3 times per million words in written English, the 18,064th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, mastermind means “A person with an extraordinary intellect or skill that is markedly superior to their peers” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of mastermind is masterminds.
How many letters and syllables are in mastermind?
| Letters | 10: M-A-S-T-E-R-M-I-N-D |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.3 times per million words; the 18,064th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is mastermind?
Mastermind appears 2.3 times per million words in written English, the 18,064th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce mastermind?
- UK /ˈmɑː.stə.mʌɪnd/
- US /ˈmæs.tɚˌmaɪnd/
Mastermind has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-mastermind.ogg, En-au-mastermind.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of mastermind
- masterminds plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- masterminding participle, present
- masterminded participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does mastermind mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A person with an extraordinary intellect or skill that is markedly superior to their peers.
- 2
A person responsible for the highest level of planning and execution of a major operation.
verb
- 1
To plan or execute (a project) in the role of mastermind.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Mastermind in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | cerveau, tête , organiser, diriger |
| German | Superhirn , Drahtzieher, Mastermind |
| Spanish | mente maestra , cerebro |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does mastermind come from?
From master + mind.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).