psychologist
Americannoun
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a specialist in psychology.
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Philosophy. an adherent to or advocate of psychologism.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of psychologist
First recorded in 1720–30; psycholog(y) + -ist
Compare meaning
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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.
Vocabulary lists containing psychologist
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There is also a 30-minute time limit on the chatbot to prevent dependency, says Jenna Glover, a psychologist and Headspace’s chief clinical officer.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026
"A psychologist just told me that it's part of the process," she said, while her two young daughters play with dolls on a mattress on the grass.
From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026
"These are significant effects," the psychologist emphasizes, "comparable to those seen in some experimental studies on physical activity regarding physical performance and cognitive training, especially with regard to memory."
From Science Daily • Jun. 25, 2026
Grande was previously married to real estate agent Dalton Gomez, while Slater had been married to psychologist Lilly Jay, his high-school sweetheart with whom he shares a child.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
The sad thing was, this wasn’t the first time the sports psychologist had been summoned to help the women’s saber team work out their personnel problems.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
