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-1960's 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 compound that can be obtained from various mushrooms and other fungi but is usually created in the lab. 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

Colorado’s decriminalization of certain psychedelics in 2022 means that psilocybin is easy to access and magic mushrooms can be grown and consumed. —Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, 9 Apr. 2024

In Ukraine, which hosted an international conference on psychedelic therapy in the treatment of post-traumatic syndromes in 2023, the number of people experiencing PTSD is thought to have risen significantly since Russia invaded in February 2022. —Sarah Sinclair, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

Wall Street's sudden exuberance for hallucinogens has rankled longtime advocates and philanthropists, who dreamed of making low-cost psychedelics widely available for mental health and personal growth. —Matthew Perrone, Quartz, 5 Feb. 2024

The revival of research into psychedelics and its status as a technocrat accessory has fostered a new openness to psilocybin among the professional creative set in New York and Los Angeles, Austin and Miami. —Meghan McCarron, Bon Appétit, 24 Jan. 2024

Rodgers said last year at a psychedelics conference in Denver. —Amy Woodyatt, CNN, 19 Feb. 2024

Rabin, who is a neuroscientist, psychiatrist, and expert in psychedelics, spoke with Robb Report’s deputy editor Josh Condon at House of Robb during Austin’s South by Southwest about how Apollo Neuro’s wristband can help heal trauma. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024

What roles have psychedelics historically played in social change or religion? —Andrew Deangelo, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024

Researchers in the field say that psychedelics are shown to work when treating some mental health conditions. —Amy Woodyatt, CNN, 19 Feb. 2024

Adjective

Flags, paintings, sculptures and a video envelop and fill the stately building with proliferating geometric patterns, intricate beadwork, evocative text, a psychedelic overdose of color and political references to Indigenous and broader American histories. —Jillian Steinhauer, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024

As a child, she was exposed to psychedelic jazz while living at Alice Coltrane’s Sai Anantam Ashram in Agoura Hills. —Liz Sanchez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024

Since the release of their 1970 debut, Gentle Giant embodied prog at its most visionary: a mischievous blend of renaissance polyphony, jazz interplay, psychedelic folk, and—well, yes, raucous rock’n’roll. —Ernesto Lechner, SPIN, 11 Apr. 2024

And to some extent around what’s going on in the psychedelic realm. —Julian Sancton, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024

Host Nick Offerman brings his usual impish warmth to this Netflix documentary, but the real draw is hearing famous people describe their own journeys (sometimes good, sometimes bad, always memorable) with psychedelic drugs. —Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2024

There is one aeolid that looks like a psychedelic hedgehog, and several that wouldn’t be out of place at the tip of an orchid stem. —Helen Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024

Andy Goitia's first two Sleepy Gaucho albums were real eye-openers, psychedelic folk chillers reminiscent at times of Mac DeMarco. —Journal Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2024

The proprietary frequency technologies at the Reality Center activate the same parts of the brain which get stimulated by deep meditation and psychedelic therapies. —Yola Robert, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

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

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