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

But Sui also acknowledges the influence of fairytales, fashion literature, and punk music on her worldview, citing books of photos and works of nonfiction that have lingered in her psyche. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2024

The whole nation is rocked by the event, as is Marita’s psyche. —Annika Pham, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024

Concerns about a movie being too real are just signs that the filmmakers have tapped in to the collective psyche. —Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 8 Mar. 2024

However, their grip on our psyche only serves to perpetuate negativity and gatekeep our own progress. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024

But the memory of June 17, and the events that would unfold over the next few years, presaged the next three decades of American life while altering the national psyche forever. —Sean Gregory, TIME, 11 Apr. 2024

By Meghan Rose Virgo This eclipse delves deep into your psyche, Virgo, urging you to confront and heal from financial or emotional entanglements. —Glamour, 8 Apr. 2024

Though plenty of violent and action-packed sequences are sprinkled throughout the series, the musical selections and montages used to portray Gray’s memories and inner psyche strip these scenes of intensity. —Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 31 Mar. 2024

Warning signs about her troubled psyche blink from the start. —Dwight Garner, New York Times, 25 Mar. 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