psychologist

American  

[sahy-kol-uh-jist] / saɪˈkɒl ə dʒɪst /

noun

• psychologists
  plural

1. a specialist in psychology.

2. Philosophy. an adherent to or advocate of psychologism.

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adjective

1. Also psychologistic. of or relating to psychologism.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• psychologists
  plural

Etymology

Origin of psychologist

First recorded in 1720–30; psycholog(y) + -ist

Compare meaning

How does psychologist compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• psychologist vs. therapist
• psychologist vs. psychiatrist

Explanation

A psychologist is a scientist who studies the mind. Unless specified, you should assume the psychologist studies the human mind — as opposed to, for example, a pet psychologist. A psychologist can be a researcher, who makes abstract studies of mental disorders and their treatments. Or, a psychologist can be licensed to see and treat patients, offering therapy for mental conditions or behavioral issues. The word comes from two Latin root, psyche, meaning "soul, mind, and spirit," and logia, meaning "the study of." Unlike a psychiatrist, a psychologist does not have a medical degree, and therefore cannot prescribe medication.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

psychologist psychologists

“A ringing phone now reads as an emergency, and most of us have been conditioned to meet surprise with a small spike of alarm,” Christa Smith, a psychologist in Georgia, said.

From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2026

Work by Stanford psychologist Alia Crum suggests why this may be consequential.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

In 1995, forensic psychologist Dr Diana McCoy was hired by Pike's defence team and found she was severely neglected by both of her parents.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

We sometimes prioritize the opinions of those we are dating before we really know them, says Sabrina Romanoff, a clinical psychologist who specializes in dating.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

She went through evaluations with both a psychologist and an educational diagnostician.

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez

Here are other big trends that psychologists, sociologists and other experts believe are driving the estrangement crisis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026

There’s a lack of programs — we need more therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and doctors who are versed in helping people who are deaf.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

Occupational psychologists call this work centrality - and research links this to greater engagement, commitment and willingness to go the extra mile.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

“VA psychologists are best in class,” said Russell Lemle, former chief psychologist for the San Francisco VA Health Care System and now a senior policy analyst at the Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

Karhidish psychologists, though lacking mindspeech and thus like, blind surgeons, were ingenious with drugs, hypnosis, spotshock, cryonic touch, and various mental therapies; I asked if these two psychopaths could not be cured.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Related Words

• adviser
• analyst
• clinician
• doctor
• physician
• psychiatrist
• psychoanalyst
• psychotherapist