psychoanalysis

American  

[sahy-koh-uh-nal-uh-sis] / ˌsaɪ koʊ əˈnæl ə sɪs /

noun

psychoanalyses plural

1. a systematic structure of theories concerning the relation of conscious and unconscious psychological processes.

2. a technical procedure for investigating unconscious mental processes and for treating psychoneuroses.

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psychoanalysis British  

/ ˌsaɪkəʊˈænəlɪst, ˌsaɪkəʊəˈnælɪsɪs, ˌsaɪkəʊˌænəˈlɪtɪk /

noun

1. a method of studying the mind and treating mental and emotional disorders based on revealing and investigating the role of the unconscious mind

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psychoanalysis Cultural  

1. A method of treating mental illness, originating with Sigmund Freud, in which a psychiatrist (analyst) helps a patient discover and confront the causes of the illness. Many psychiatrists believe that these causes are buried deep in the unconscious of the patient and can be brought to the surface through such techniques as hypnosis and the analysis of dreams. Psychoanalysis emphasizes that mental illness usually originates in repressed sexual desires or traumas in childhood.

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Discover More

Psychoanalysis is sometimes simply called analysis.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• psychoanalyst
  noun
• psychoanalytic
  adjective
• psychoanalytical
  adjective
• psychoanalytically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• psychoanalyses
  plural

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:

• psychoanalysis vs. psychotherapy

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."

Example Sentences

Psychoanalysis, Mr. Phillips suggests, can support this pragmatist approach by helping us navigate that retelling.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Psychoanalysis focuses on the contrasting approach of hunting down and exploring the meaning of any thoughts a person might have pushed to the back of their mind.

From Scientific American • Sep. 20, 2023

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

Psychoanalysis is a pretty good tool to have when you’re talking to any artist.

From New York Times • Dec. 30, 2018

Psychoanalysis tells us that this is not perhaps a shocking exception but a matter of everyday occurrence.

From Sleep Walking and Moon Walking A Medico-Literary Study by Sadger, J.