decathect

[ dee-kuh-thekt ]

verb (used with object)Psychoanalysis
  1. to withdraw one's feelings of attachment from (a person, idea, or object), as in anticipation of a future loss: He decathected from her in order to cope with her impending death.

Origin of decathect

1
First recorded in 1955–60; de- + cathect

Other words from decathect

  • de·ca·thex·is [dee-kuh-thek-sis], /ˌdi kəˈθɛk sɪs/, noun

Words Nearby decathect

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024