psychic

1 of 2

adjective

psy·​chic ˈsī-kik How to pronounce psychic (audio)
variants or less commonly psychical
1
: of or relating to the psyche : psychogenic
2
: lying outside the sphere of physical science or knowledge : immaterial, moral, or spiritual in origin or force
3
: sensitive to nonphysical or supernatural forces and influences : marked by extraordinary or mysterious sensitivity, perception, or understanding
psychically adverb

psychic

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a person apparently sensitive to nonphysical forces
2
: psychic phenomena

Examples of psychic in a Sentence

Adjective She claims to be psychic. Noun She claims to be a psychic. a celebrity psychic who managed to convince at least some people that their deceased loved ones were using him to relay messages
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The horse often has more agency than the humans around him, and the rivalry between Ed and Carol, Wilbur’s wife, serves as a comedic, if warped, commentary on the psychic tensions of postwar domesticity. Chris Reed, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025 Momo is abducted by a group of aliens who accidentally unblock her chakras, enabling latent psychic abilities. Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
Noun
Whoopi Goldberg is the fake psychic who has a hint of actual psychic power that she's forgotten about. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 14 May 2025 While MacKinnon says she's always had a special connection with animals, her first visit with a pet psychic in 2001 changed her perspective. Athena Sobhan, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for psychic

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Greek psychikos of the soul, from psychē soul

First Known Use

Adjective

1645, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1860, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of psychic was in 1645

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Cite this Entry

“Psychic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychic. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

psychic

1 of 2 adjective
psy·​chic ˈsī-kik How to pronounce psychic (audio)
variants also psychical
1
: of or relating to the psyche
2
: not physical
especially : not to be explained by knowledge of natural laws
3
: sensitive to influences or forces believed to come from beyond the natural world
psychically adverb

psychic

2 of 2 noun
: a psychic person (as a medium)

Medical Definition

psychic

1 of 2 adjective
psy·​chic ˈsī-kik How to pronounce psychic (audio)
variants also psychical
1
: of or relating to the psyche : psychogenic
2
: sensitive to nonphysical or supernatural forces and influences
psychically adverb

psychic

2 of 2 noun
: a person apparently sensitive to nonphysical forces

More from Merriam-Webster on psychic

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