psyche

noun

psy·​che ˈsī-kē How to pronounce psyche (audio)
1
capitalized : a princess loved by Cupid
2
[Greek psychē]
a
: soul, personality
the nation's consumer psycheD. J. Kevles
b
: the totality of elements forming the mind (see mind entry 1 sense 2)
specifically, in Freudian psychoanalytic theory : the id, ego, and superego including both conscious and unconscious components

Did you know?

Sometime back in the 16th century, we borrowed the word psyche directly from Greek into English. In Greek mythology, Psyche was a beautiful princess who fell in love with Eros (Cupid), god of love, and went through terrible trials before being allowed to marry him. The story is often understood to be about the soul redeeming itself through love. (To the Greeks, psyche also meant "butterfly", which suggests how they imagined the soul.) In English, psyche often sounds less spiritual than soul, less intellectual than mind, and more private than personality.

Examples of psyche in a Sentence

some hidden corner within your psyche disturbing, enigmatic paintings that seem to embody the psyche of this brilliant but troubled artist
Recent Examples on the Web Those images have a direct impact on the collective psyche and consciousness of many of the people who see them. Ruhama Wolle, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2024 Fewer episodes and less time spent on the self-destructive café manager would have kept the storyline squarely on Rocco’s psyche. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 5 Mar. 2024 The movie is contemplative and quietly powerful, a slow burn spliced with emotional punches while Dano’s screenplay, which was co-written by his real-life partner and actress Zoe Kazan, gives the two leads space to unravel their characters’ psyches. Janey Tracey, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 By its final third, this dark story will have sunk its gnarled roots deep into your psyche and settled into your nightmares. Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024 Still, advisers are keenly aware of higher grocery bills hurting the consumer’s psyche. Christine Romans, NBC News, 2 Feb. 2024 There’s no denying that smartphones and social media have had a tremendous effect on the human psyche and on real-life relationships. Sam Hurwitt, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024 While the original ad showed off their (admittedly limited) musical chops, the longer version gives us a glimpse into Affleck’s psyche… for better or worse. EW.com, 13 Feb. 2024 All these classics were part of our psyche at the time. Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 10 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'psyche.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek psychē soul

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of psyche was in 1590

Dictionary Entries Near psyche

Cite this Entry

“Psyche.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psyche. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

psyche

noun
psy·​che ˈsī-kē How to pronounce psyche (audio)

Medical Definition

psyche

noun
psy·​che ˈsī-(ˌ)kē How to pronounce psyche (audio)
: the specialized cognitive, conative, and affective aspects of a psychosomatic unity : mind
specifically : the totality of the id, ego, and superego including both conscious and unconscious components

More from Merriam-Webster on psyche

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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