psychedelic

1 of 2

noun

psy·​che·​del·​ic ˌsī-kə-ˈde-lik 

: a psychedelic drug (such as LSD)

psychedelic

2 of 2

adjective

1

a

: of, relating to, or being drugs (such as LSD) capable of producing abnormal psychic effects (such as hallucinations) and sometimes psychotic states

b

: produced by or associated with the use of psychedelic drugs

a psychedelic experience

2

: imitating, suggestive of, or reproducing effects (such as distorted or bizarre images or sounds) resembling those produced by psychedelic drugs

psychedelic color schemes

3

: of, relating to, characteristic of, or being the period of the mid- to late-1960s that is associated with the psychedelic drug culture

psychedelic rock

the psychedelic era/movement

… the "rainbow newspaper" of San Francisco that burst onto the psychedelic scene in 1966 …

—Don Lattin

… speaking of stereotypes, the illustrations reject any hint of a '60s psychedelic style …

—Steven Heller

psychedelically

ˌsī-kə-ˈde-li-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Did you know?

The most famous—or notorious—of the psychedelic drugs is LSD, a synthetic compound that is usually created in a lab but can also be derived from alkaloids found in some fungi. The other well-known psychedelics are psilocybin (likewise obtained from fungi) and mescaline (obtained from peyote cactus). How psychedelics produce their effects is still fairly mysterious, partly because research ceased for almost 20 years because of their reputation, but scientists are determined to find the answers and much research is now under way. Psychedelics are now used to treat anxiety in patients with cancer, and are being tested in the treatment of such serious conditions as severe depression, alcoholism, and drug addiction.

Examples of psychedelic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Users of classical psychedelics who underwent a major trip on the Fourth of July expressed reduced support for partisan political violence, whereas tripping around the time of the Democratic and Republican conventions increased it. — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

Still, for decades, the use of psychedelics in America was underground. — Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026

Adjective

Feminine Energy Porodina refracts feminine energy in all her subjects, whether casting Pitt as a psychedelic Ophelia for the cover of GQ, or capturing Ukrainian model Yura Romaniuk’s fluid beauty for Vogue Adria. — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026

Kardaris grouped ibogaine with other psychedelic or psychoactive substances that have drawn public interest. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

irregular from psych- + Greek dēloun to show, from dēlos evident; akin to Sanskrit dīdeti it shines, Latin dies day — more at deity

First Known Use

Noun

1956, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1957, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing psychedelic

• pre-psychedelic

Rhymes for psychedelic

• philatelic
• allelic
• angelic
• relic
• telic

Kids Definition

psychedelic

1 of 2 adjective

psy·​che·​del·​ic ˌsī-kə-ˈdel-ik 

1

: of, relating to, or being a drug (as LSD) that produces abnormal often extreme mental effects (as hallucinations)

2

a

: imitating the effects of psychedelic drugs

b

: glowing brightly

psychedelic

2 of 2 noun

: a psychedelic drug

Medical Definition

psychedelic

1 of 2 noun

psy·​che·​del·​ic ˌsī-kə-ˈdel-ik 

: a psychedelic drug (as LSD)

psychedelic

2 of 2 adjective

1

: of, relating to, or being drugs (as LSD) capable of producing abnormal psychic effects (as hallucinations) and sometimes psychotic states

2

: produced by or associated with the use of psychedelic drugs

a psychedelic experience

psychedelically

-ˈdel-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb