psychohistory

noun

psy·​cho·​his·​to·​ry ˈsī-kō-ˌhi-st(ə-)rē How to pronounce psychohistory (audio)
: historical analysis or interpretation using psychological and psychoanalytic methods
also : a work of history using such methods
psychohistorian noun
psychohistorical adjective

Examples of psychohistory 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.
Now, the humanoid robot faces an existential crisis should Hari Seldon's psychohistory predictions come true and the galaxy falls into darkness. Jeff Spry, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2025 But also, this has always been a show about the minutiae of psychohistory, about the individuals that history ignores, about the moments before and after the big history-making events. Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2025 Seldon spends his time teaching the Second Foundation about psychohistory while Gaal leads them in training their Mentallic powers to fight The Mule. Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 18 July 2025 The databases of suicide attacks that are now available, although useful for some kinds of study, rarely include details about recruits’ personal lives or their psychohistory. Jessica Stern, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2013 But psychohistory is science fiction: in reality, human decisions are opaque, and can be dramatically influenced by events and memes that no algorithm could ever predict. Dan Rockmore, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2024 In a place where both psychohistory and predestination exist, how much does personal choice matter? Marah Eakin, WIRED, 14 July 2023 Hari, Gaal, and Salvor discover a colony of Mentalics with special abilities that threaten to alter psychohistory itself. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 June 2023 Hari, Gaal, and Salvor discover a colony of Mentalics with psionic abilities that threaten to alter psychohistory itself. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 May 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of psychohistory was in 1929

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Cite this Entry

“Psychohistory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychohistory. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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