psyche

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A person's mind taken as a whole, including conscious and hidden thoughts, feelings and attitudes that shape their behavior.

   Grammar: Usually singular with the or a possessive: the human psyche, his psyche.

   Patterns

   • the psyche of someone
   • the human psyche

   The novel explores the fragile psyche of its hero.

   Fear lives deep in the human psyche.

   The loss left a scar on her psyche.

2. 2nouncountablefigurative

   The shared mood, beliefs and character of a group or nation.

   Grammar: Often used with national or collective.

   Patterns

   • the national psyche
   • the collective psyche

   The war left a mark on the national psyche.

   Sports are part of the country's psyche.

   The disaster shook the city's collective psyche.

3. 3nouncountableliterary

   In Greek myth and ancient thought, the soul or spirit of a person.

   Grammar: Often capitalized for the mythical figure Psyche.

   Ancient writers described the psyche leaving the body at death.

   In the myth, Psyche is loved by Eros.

   The poem pictures the psyche as a butterfly.

Word forms

Common combinations

the human psyche

The film studies how fear shapes the human psyche.

the national psyche

The disaster is still lodged in the national psyche.

damage the psyche

Constant criticism can damage a child's psyche.

a fragile psyche

The role calls for an actor who can show a fragile psyche.

the collective psyche

Art reflects the collective psyche of its time.

Synonyms and how they differ

mind

Mind is the everyday word for thinking, while psyche includes hidden feelings and deeper layers.

spirit

Spirit suggests energy or soul, with a religious or emotional tone.

soul

Soul has a religious feel and suggests the deepest self, not just mental life.

personality

Personality refers to outward character traits, whereas psyche refers to the inner workings.

Opposites

Word family

psychic adjective

relating to the mind, or seeming to sense unseen things

psychology noun

the scientific study of mind and behavior

psychological adjective

relating to the mind

psychiatry noun

medical treatment of mental illness

Commonly confused: psyche or psych? psyche or physique?

Practice

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