psychic

American  

[sahy-kik] / ˈsaɪ kɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to the human soul or mind; mental.

2. Psychology. pertaining to or noting mental phenomena.

3. outside of natural or scientific knowledge; spiritual.

4. of or relating to some apparently nonphysical force or agency.

   psychic research;

   psychic phenomena.

5. sensitive to influences or forces of a nonphysical or supernatural nature.

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noun

• psychics
  plural

1. a person who is allegedly sensitive to psychic influences or forces; medium.

psychic British  

/ ˈsaɪkɪk /

adjective

1. 1. outside the possibilities defined by natural laws, as mental telepathy

   2. (of a person) sensitive to forces not recognized by natural laws

2. mental as opposed to physical; psychogenic

3. bridge (of a bid) based on less strength than would normally be required to make the bid

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noun

1. a person who is sensitive to parapsychological forces or influences

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interpsychic
  adjective
• nonpsychic
  adjective
• nonpsychical
  adjective
• psychical
  adjective
• unpsychic
  adjective
• psychically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• psychics
  plural

Etymology

Origin of psychic

First recorded in 1855–60; from Greek psȳchikós “of the soul”; see Psyche, -ic

Explanation

A psychic reads minds and predicts the future. If you were a psychic, you wouldn't have bothered reading this because you would have known what I was going to say. Psychic can also describe something that has to do with your mind more than your body. You weren't physically harmed when your favorite team lost the championship game, but the psychic pain was considerable. Psychic comes from a Greek word meaning “breath” and “soul”: psychic matters are often felt but not seen.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

psychic psychics

Its name is a nod to psychic powers, but the real hocus-pocus is in the company’s numbers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

The damage was not just physical or economic; it was psychic.

From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026

“I soon learned that the previous bidder had been told by her psychic that the house was haunted and had just withdrawn from escrow,” he revealed.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

Bethany been convicted of murdering her mother but claims she is innocent, has psychic powers and can predict the future.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

“The fly, my dear sir, has one striking feature; its wings are typical of the aërial powers of the psychic faculties. The ancients did well when they typified the soul as a butterfly!”

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

She doesn’t remember any preoccupation with psychics or mediums growing up.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2025

Knowing that the psychiatric establishment will be wary of new treatment approaches for psychosis based on studies of mediums and psychics, the researchers are moving deliberatively.

From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2025

He wanted to study high-functioning voice hearers, and a gathering of psychics seemed like a good place to find them.

From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2025

Many young Chinese have recently turned to psychics and astrology as a way of trying to allay their fears of the future.

From BBC ● Feb. 12, 2025

They have stacks of Bonnie’s books on ghost hunters, psychics, and dangerous angels.

From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart

Related Words

• mental
• metaphysical
• psychological
• spiritual
• supernatural