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.

---

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.

Related Words

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