psychology
noun
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The Roots of Psychology
The word psychology was formed by combining the Greek psychē (meaning “breath, principle of life, life, soul,”) with –logia (which comes from the Greek logos, meaning “speech, word, reason”). An early use appears in Nicholas Culpeper’s mid-17th century translation of Simeon Partliz’s A New Method of Physick, in which it is stated that “Psychologie is the knowledg of the Soul.” Today, psychology is concerned with the science or study of the mind and behavior. Many branches of psychology are differentiated by the specific field to which they belong, such as animal psychology, child psychology, and sports psychology.
Examples of psychology in a Sentence
Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Kurt's key takeaway Phishing scams are getting more sophisticated, but the psychology behind them remains the same: scare you into acting without thinking.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2025
Memory decays with time and everyone has different retrieval cues for memory, said a Michigan State University professor of psychology, Kimberly Fenn, who has researched memory and was called to testify by Nance’s legal team.
—Darcie Moran, Freep.com, 3 July 2025
Aspiring to study psychology and pursue a military career, Zamantha’s resilience and determination shine through her many accolades.
—Caroline Beck, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for psychology
Cite this Entry
“Psychology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychology. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
psychology
noun
from scientific Latin psychologia "the study of the mind and behavior," derived from Greek psychē "soul, mind" and Greek -logia "science, study"
Medical Definition
psychology
noun
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