What it means
A mastermind is the brilliant brain behind a complex plan, the one who works out every angle and pulls the strings while everyone else just follows the steps. It's the criminal genius plotting the heist, but also the friend who orchestrates the surprise party down to the minute. Equal parts admiration and a slightly nervous what-are-they-up-to.
Usage examples
"She was the mastermind behind the whole campaign, every detail was her idea."
"They never caught the mastermind, only the small fry who did the legwork."
Where it comes from
A compound of master and mind, the masterful mind behind a scheme. It spread through detective fiction and heist stories in the twentieth century.
Editors of this term
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