psychiatry

noun

psy·​chi·​a·​try sə-ˈkī-ə-trē How to pronounce psychiatry (audio)
sī-
: a branch of medicine that deals with mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders
psychiatric adjective
psychiatrically adverb

Examples of psychiatry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Zablocki, meanwhile, reported shortages in 16 clinical positions, including internal medicine and psychiatry, and five nonclinical positions. Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025 Harriet De Wit, PhD, professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Chicago, praised the rigor of the research. Dr. Christian S. Monsalve, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2025 But after graduating from medical school, Sarah left pathology behind and became a psychiatry resident. EW.com, 2 Sep. 2025 The autistic approach aligns naturally with the complex demands of modern medicine, particularly in specialties like psychiatry, neurology, internal medicine or, increasingly, pediatrics, where symptoms overlap and rarely fit into neat boxes. Alison Escalante, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for psychiatry

Word History

Etymology

probably from French psychiatrie, from psychiatre psychiatrist, from psych- psych- + Greek iatros physician — more at -iatry

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of psychiatry was in 1828

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Psychiatry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychiatry. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

psychiatry

noun
psy·​chi·​a·​try sə-ˈkī-ə-trē How to pronounce psychiatry (audio)
sī-
: a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the mind, emotions, or behavior
psychiatric adjective

Medical Definition

psychiatry

noun
psy·​chi·​a·​try -trē How to pronounce psychiatry (audio)
plural psychiatries
: a branch of medicine that deals with the science and practice of treating mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders especially as originating in endogenous causes or resulting from faulty interpersonal relationships

More from Merriam-Webster on psychiatry

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