psychosomatic
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to a physical disorder that is caused by or notably influenced by emotional factors.
-
pertaining to or involving both the mind and the body.
adjective
Discover More
“Psychosomatic” disorders have definite physical symptoms but are thought to be caused by emotional or psychological factors. Anorexia nervosa is an example of a psychosomatic illness.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of psychosomatic
Explanation
Psychosomatic describes a physical illness that results at least in part from mental causes. If you are under a lot of stress, the strain can trigger a psychosomatic condition like a stomach ulcer. Have you heard of the mind-body connection? That if you enjoy mental well-being you will also likely have good physical health — and vice versa? Psychosomatic originally used to describe the relationship between the body and the mind, and it comes from the merging of two Greek words, psykhe, mind, and somatikos, "body." A psychosomatic illness is triggered or made worse by a mental issue; the body gets worn down by things like constant worry and stress.
Vocabulary lists containing psychosomatic
Body Language: Psych ("Mind")
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
A Confederacy of Dunces
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
FND is a complex condition; previously known as psychosomatic or psychogenic illness, it describes physical symptoms with a psychological root.
From BBC • Jan. 10, 2026
Looking back, the stutter seemed to have been psychosomatic.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025
Investigations into it halted when the doctor told my dad—not me—that she thought the pain was purely psychosomatic.
From Slate • Jul. 26, 2025
“Holotropic breathwork provides access to biographical, perinatal and transpersonal domains of the unconscious and thus to deep psychospiritual roots of emotional and psychosomatic disorder,” the Grofs wrote in their 2010 book on the technique.
From Salon • Apr. 23, 2025
Billy had powerful psychosomatic responses to the changing chords.
From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut
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.
