psychotomimetic

[sahy-kot-oh-muh-met-ik, -mahy-]

adjective

1. (of a substance or drug) tending to produce symptoms like those of a psychosis; hallucinatory.

psychotomimetic

/ saɪˌkɒtəʊmɪˈmɛtɪk /

adjective

1. (of drugs such as LSD and mescaline) capable of inducing psychotic symptoms

Word History and Origins

Origin of psychotomimetic¹

First recorded in 1955–60; psychot(ic) + -o- + mimetic

Example Sentences

The “psychotomimetic” model of what hallucinogens do is not considered useful/valid at present but more dissociative agents like ketamine and PCP may indeed cause a more accurate “model psychosis.”

Read more on Scientific American

Not only was there the idea that these drugs could be psychotomimetic and represented models of psychosis, but simultaneously other theories were being proposed suggesting the potential use of these same drugs in the treatment of mental disorders.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• hallucinatory 
• kaleidoscopic 
• multicolored