cathexis

[ kuh-thek-sis ]

noun

, Psychoanalysis.

, plural ca·thex·es [k, uh, -, thek, -seez].

1. the investment of emotional significance in an activity, object, or idea.
2. the charge of psychic energy so invested.

cathexis

/ kəˈθɛksɪs /

noun

1. psychoanal concentration of psychic energy on a single goal

Other Words From

• ca·thec·tic [k, uh, -, thek, -tik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cathexis¹

First recorded in 1920–25; from New Latin, from Greek káthexis “a keeping,” equivalent to kathek- (variant stem of katéchein “to keep, hold on to,” equivalent to kat- cat- ( def ) + échein “to have, hold”) + -sis -sis, as translation of German Besetzung a taking possession of (Freud's term)

Word History and Origins

Origin of cathexis¹

C20: from New Latin, from Greek kathexis, from katekhein to hold fast, intended to render German Besetzung a taking possession of

Example Sentences

Drooling over such luxury was supposed to result in a cathexis of the Ralph Lauren label.

From The Daily Beast

In the other case the object is retained, and there is a hyper-cathexis of it by the ego and at the ego's expense.

From Project Gutenberg

Is it quite certain that identification presupposes that object-cathexis has been given up?

From Project Gutenberg