psyche
Psyche
- Classical Mythology. a personification of the soul, which in the form of a beautiful girl was loved by Eros.
- (lowercase) the human soul, spirit, or mind.
- (lowercase) Psychology, Psychoanalysis. the mental or psychological structure of a person, especially as a motive force.
- Neoplatonism. the second emanation of the One, regarded as a universal consciousness and as the animating principle of the world.
- a female given name.
Origin of Psyche
psych1
or psyche
- to intimidate or frighten psychologically, or make nervous (often followed by out): to psych out the competition.
- to prepare psychologically to be in the right frame of mind or to give one's best (often followed by up): to psych oneself up for an interview.
- to figure out psychologically; decipher (often followed by out): to psych out a problem.
Origin of psych1
Examples from the Web for psyche
Contemporary Examples
He then provides some insight into his psyche - complete with Animal House reference.
Hard-wired into the psyche of many is the idea that somehow time off is akin to sloth.
Obama’s Extravagant Summer Break? More Like, America’s Vacation-Deficit DisorderClive Irving
August 10, 2014
Goldhagen depicts it as being so deeply inculcated in the German psyche that it was almost as if they had no choice.
Lorraine Toussaint explains the psyche behind Vee, the Orange Is the New Black character we love to hate.
OITNB’s New Villain Vee, Played By Lorraine Toussaint, Speaks for the First TimeKevin Fallon
June 13, 2014
Any of that stuff is almost helpful, if only to your psyche.
Historical Examples
Of course this isn't all mine; it includes ma's and Psyche's.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
The Bineses, with the exception of Psyche, were at breakfast a week later.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
"And you know we shall be in mourning," said Psyche to her brother.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
"And of course we must go to the Episcopal church there," said Psyche.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
Psyche wondered what new misfortune could be in store for her.
Old Greek Folk Stories Told AnewJosephine Preston Peabody
psyche
- the human mind or soul
Word Origin
Psyche
- Greek myth a beautiful girl loved by Eros (Cupid), who became the personification of the soul
psych
psyche
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for psyche
n.
1640s, "animating spirit," from Latin psyche, from Greek psykhe "the soul, mind, spirit; breath; life, one's life, the invisible animating principle or entity which occupies and directs the physical body; understanding" (personified as Psykhe, the beloved of Eros), akin to psykhein "to blow, cool," from PIE root *bhes- "to blow, to breathe" (cf. Sanskrit bhas-), "Probably imitative" [Watkins].
Also in ancient Greek, "departed soul, spirit, ghost," and often represented symbolically as a butterfly or moth. The word had extensive sense development in Platonic philosophy and Jewish-influenced theological writing of St. Paul (cf. spirit (n.)). Meaning "human soul" is from 1650s. In English, psychological sense "mind," is attested by 1910.
psych
as a noun, short for psychology in various senses (e.g. as an academic study, in student slang by 1895). As a verb, first attested 1917 as "to subject to psychoanalysis," short for psychoanalyze. From 1934 as "to outsmart" (also psych out); from 1963 as "to unnerve." However to psych (oneself) up is from 1972; to be psyched up is attested from 1968.
psyche
(sī′kē)- The mind functioning as the center of thought, emotion, and behavior and consciously or unconsciously mediating the body's responses to the social and physical environment.
Psyche
In Roman mythology, a beautiful girl who was visited each night in the dark by Cupid, who told her she must not try to see him. When she did try, while he was asleep, she accidentally dropped oil from her lamp on him, and he awoke and fled. After she had performed many harsh tasks set by Cupid's mother, Venus, Jupiter made her immortal, and she and Cupid were married. Her name is Greek for both “soul” and “butterfly.”
psyche
The mind, soul, or spirit, as opposed to the body. In psychology, the psyche is the center of thought, feeling, and motivation, consciously and unconsciously directing the body's reactions to its social and physical environment.