Mintis

Mintis is a Filipino noun that denotes a fleeting thought, a brief mental impression, or momentary recollection. It emphasizes transience: a mental event that arises quickly and passes just as fast. In everyday speech, mintis can describe a passing idea that interrupts attention or a sudden reminiscence during activity. It is commonly used with determiners such as isang mintis or simply mintis: "nagkaroon ng mintis" or "may mintis siya," conveying that a brief thought crossed the mind.

Linguistically, mintis is a native Tagalog word and is understood across the Philippines. It is not a formal term in grammar but a common colloquial lexical item that appears in conversation, writing, and media to convey transient mental moments.

Semantic range and connotations: mintis covers a spectrum from a casual, almost unnamed idea to a short impulse or reminiscence. In literature and song, it is often used to evoke the fragility of attention and memory, capturing how thoughts can appear briefly and fade.

Relation to related terms: mintis is distinct from alaala (memory) in its emphasis on brevity and immediacy, and it contrasts with malimot (to forget), which centers on loss of memory rather than the briefness of a thought. While not a formal linguistic category, mintis functions as a useful way to describe transient mental phenomena in everyday language and cultural expression.