psychoanalysis
Americannoun
-
a systematic structure of theories concerning the relation of conscious and unconscious psychological processes.
-
a technical procedure for investigating unconscious mental processes and for treating psychoneuroses.
noun
Discover More
Psychoanalysis is sometimes simply called analysis.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of psychoanalysis
From the German word Psychoanalyse, dating back to 1905–10. See psycho-, analysis
Compare meaning
How does psychoanalysis compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Psychoanalysis is a type of long-term therapy that explores the origins of a patient's mental state. When most people think of psychoanalysis they think of Sigmund Freud, who first developed it at the end of the 19th century. It's a type of psychotherapy that uses stories from childhood, dreams, free association, and other techniques to get at a person's subconscious, or the thoughts and fears hidden deep inside the mind. Psychoanalysis is sometimes described as "talk therapy." The word is rooted in the Greek psychē, or "soul."
Vocabulary lists containing psychoanalysis
The Catcher in the Rye
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Body Language: Psych ("Mind")
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Psychology
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Psychoanalysis, Mr. Phillips suggests, can support this pragmatist approach by helping us navigate that retelling.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
Psychoanalysis the attempt to cure mental illnesses by uncovering the unconscious elements that are said to be the foundation of human behavior.
From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022
John Horgan and I can trace our acquaintance to April 1998, when we met in New Haven on the eve of a Yale University conference, “Whose Freud? The Place of Psychoanalysis in Contemporary Culture.”
From Scientific American • Jun. 16, 2019
In 1983 he joined the Baltimore Washington Institute for Psychoanalysis in Laurel, Md. He was co-director of its adult psychotherapy program for several years.
From Washington Post • Apr. 14, 2018
Psychoanalysis can do little for their elucidation, and must leave the task to biological-medical research.
From A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis by Freud, Sigmund
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
