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

While Barrie digs into Peter Pan's psyche and behavior rather unsparingly, the Disney film the character spawned nearly 50 years later isn't so cynical. —Kevin Jacobsen, EW.com, 10 May 2025

According to the surprisingly candid results of a survey delving into agents’ psyche by the Redfin brokerage firm, half expect their fees to fall in the coming months. —Kendall Hamersly, Miami Herald, 9 May 2025

Helicopter parents are often unwittingly planting the seeds for imposter syndrome in their children’s psyches. —Ruth Oh Reitmeier, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025

Psychological impact JPMorgan’s data offers early hard evidence of how Trump’s plan for steep tariffs on imports has affected the psyche of American consumers. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek psychē soul

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for psyche

• nike
• spiky

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