psilocybin

[ sil-uh-sahy-bin, sahy-luh- ]

/ ˌsɪl əˈsaɪ bɪn, ˌsaɪ lə- /

Save This Word!

noun Pharmacology.

a hallucinogenic crystalline solid, C12H17N2O4P, obtained from the mushroom Psilocybe mexicana.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of psilocybin

1955–60; <New Latin Psilocyb(e) genus of mushrooms (<Greek psīló(s) bare + kýbē head) + -in²

Words nearby psilocybin

psia, psid, psig, psilanthropism, psilocin, psilocybin, psilomelane, psilosis, psi particle, PSIS, psithurism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use psilocybin in a sentence

Such professorial passages alternate with Pollan’s eyebrow-raising personal experiences with psychedelics including psilocybin, LSD and the crystallized venom of a Sonoran Desert toad.
Will psychedelic mushroom vacations come to the U. S.?|Jen Rose Smith|January 7, 2021|Washington Post
States across the country will legalize recreational cannabis and reduce barriers to psilocybin use.
How will tech’s biggest policy fights play out in 2021? This VC has some predictions|Lucinda Shen|December 11, 2020|Fortune
Participants also received therapy and support from researchers, before, during and after taking psilocybin.
Psilocybin may help treat depression, a small study finds|Laura Sanders|November 17, 2020|Science News
The psilocybin soon worked its way fully into his physiology.
What happens when psychedelics make you see God|Sarah Scoles|November 9, 2020|Popular-Science

The treatment, involving two therapy sessions under the influence of psilocybin, was a challenging experience, says Roullier, involving confronting past traumas.
Psychedelic treatment for depression is on sale for the first time|Olivia Goldhill|October 16, 2020|Quartz
Our subjects take a controlled dose of synthesized psilocybin.
The Harvard Psychedelic Club|Don Lattin|January 9, 2010|DAILY BEAST
It lasts several hours longer than either MDMA or psilocybin, and it has the greatest risk profile of any psychedelic.
Is LSD Good for You?|Paul Schrodt|August 19, 2009|DAILY BEAST
It is common to have a bad psychological reaction to LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin.
What Works: Schools Without Drugs|United States Department of Education
Lysergic acid (LSD), mescaline, and psilocybin cause illusions and hallucinations.
What Works: Schools Without Drugs|United States Department of Education

British Dictionary definitions for psilocybin

psilocybin

/ (ˌsɪləˈsaɪbɪn, ˌsaɪlə-) /

noun

a crystalline phosphate ester that is the active principle of the hallucinogenic fungus Psilocybe mexicana. Formula: C 12 H 17 N 2 O 4 P

Word Origin for psilocybin

C20: from New Latin Psilocybe (from Greek psilos bare + kubē head) + -in

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for psilocybin

psilocybin

[ sĭl′ə-sī′bĭn, sī′lə- ]

A hallucinogenic compound obtained from certain mushrooms, especially of the genus Psilocybe. Chemical formula: C12H17N2O4P.