Great minds think alike

Definition

Intelligent people often reach the same conclusions independently, used when two people have the same idea.

Etymology

This phrase appeared in the early 1600s and was often completed with "but fools seldom differ," adding a cautionary note about the difference between wisdom and mere conformity. The shortened version became popular as a complimentary way to acknowledge shared insights or simultaneous discoveries.

Kelly Says

The original full phrase "great minds think alike, but fools seldom differ" completely changes the meaning! The addition warns that similarity of thought could indicate either brilliance or stupidity. Most people today only know the first half, turning a nuanced observation about conformity into a simple compliment about intelligence.

Translations

AMአማርኛ
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
ARالعربية
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
BNবাংলা
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
CACatalà
grans mentes pensen igual
grahn-s mehn-tehs pehn-sehn ee-goo-ah-leh
CSČeština
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
DADansk
store hoveder tænker ens
sto-reh hoh-veh-der tah-nker ehn
DEDeutsch
große Köpfe denken gleich
groh-zah kohp-fah dehn-ken klee-kh
ELΕλληνικά
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
ESEspañol
grandes mentes piensan lo mismo
grahn-dehs mehn-tehs pee-en-sahn loh mee-eh-moh
FAفارسی
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
FISuomi
suuret aivot ajattelevat samoin
soo-reht ah-ee-voh ah-yah-teh-leh-vaht sah-moh-ee-n
FRFrançais
grands esprits pensent de la même manière
grahn deh-spree pah-nay deh lah meh-may-rah
GUGU
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
HAHA
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
HEעברית
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
HIहिन्दी
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
HUMagyar
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grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
IDBahasa Indonesia
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grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
IGIG
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grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
ITItaliano
grandi menti pensano allo stesso modo
grahn-dee mehn-tee pehn-zah-noh ahl-loh steh-moh moh-doh
JA日本語
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
KKKK
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
KMKM
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
KO한국어
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
MRMR
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
MSBahasa Melayu
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
MYမြန်မာ
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
NLNederlands
grote geesten denken hetzelfde
groh-teh geh-sten dehn-ken het-zelf-deh
NONorsk
store hoveder tenker lik
sto-reh hoh-veh-der teh-nker leek
PAPA
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
PLPolski
wielkie umysły myślą tak samo
vee-el-kee oo-my-swoo mysh-lah tahk sah-moh
PTPortuguês
grandes mentes pensam igual
grahn-dehs mehn-tehs pehn-sahm ee-goo-ah-leh
RORomână
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
RUРусский
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
SVSvenska
stora hjärnor tänker lika
sto-rah hyar-nohr tah-nker lee-kah
SWKiswahili
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grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
TAதமிழ்
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grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
TEతెలుగు
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grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
THไทย
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
TLTL
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grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
TRTürkçe
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grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
UKУкраїнська
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grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
URاردو
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grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
VITiếng Việt
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grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
YOYO
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grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
ZH中文
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh
ZUZU
,
grah-t mehn-dees thee-nk ah-lee-keh

Related Words

minds meeting shared wisdom parallel thinking intellectual connection simultaneous discovery

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