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

“Sheep in the Box” suggests that, not long from now, these psychic wounds may be poked anew.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

Thomas C. Hase’s lighting played up the psychic differences between those two places.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

But when they hit, and they always do, it’s a psychic whallop.

From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026

They consulted a psychic, who said that Cynthia’s body would be found near water.

From Slate ● Apr. 6, 2026

Henry—imagining, perhaps, some trembling Kassandra gibbering prophecies to a chorus of policemen—was far more concerned about the psychic.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Social media is awash in content about the arcane: how-tos for spellcasting, psychics claiming to foretell the future and endless posts about casting out demons.

From Salon ● Apr. 1, 2026

This “customary affinity for the socially bizarre” — as the New York Times put it in a 1976 article on SoCal’s “flourishing” psychics — has been a curiosity for those who come from colder coasts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 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

There had been wolves and weird psychics, swanskins and bird girls.

From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu

Related Words

• mental
• metaphysical
• psychological
• spiritual
• supernatural