psyche

noun

psy·​che ˈsī-kē 

1

capitalized : a princess loved by Cupid

2

[Greek psychē]

a

: soul, personality

the nation's consumer psyche

—D. 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.

Synonyms

• soul
• spirit

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

Farah Griffin, who worked in Trump's administration as the press secretary for Vice President Mike Pence and special assistant to Trump from October 2017 to September 2019, offered insight into Trump's psyche based on her first-hand perspective. —Dave Quinn, People.com, 10 Oct. 2024

Based on true events and featuring non-professional actors portraying their own lives, Vittoria delves deep into the complexities of family dynamics and the seemingly irrational desires of the human psyche. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2024

So is there a connection between children's psyche and blue dogs? —Casey Clark, Parents, 9 Oct. 2024

Swaying to Springsteen’s music in a field with 70,000 Danish revelers healed his soul after its immersion into Cohn’s psyche. —Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek psychē soul

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

psyche

noun

psy·​che ˈsī-kē 

1

: soul entry 1 sense 2, self

2

: mind entry 1 sense 2

Medical Definition

psyche

noun

psy·​che ˈsī-(ˌ)kē 

: 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