# presence of mind

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌpɹɛzn̩s əv ˈmaɪnd/

## Definitions
1. Focused alertness, good sense, quick-thinking resourcefulness, or stability of feeling and thought, especially in spite of circumstances which are distracting, stressful, or otherwise challenging.

## Etymology
PIE word
 *h₁ésmi
Calque of Latin praesentia animī, from praesentia (“state of being present, presence”) + animī (the genitive singular of animus (“intellect, mind”)).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/presence-of-mind