noun
psych
Psychiatry as a branch of medicine.
She specializes in psych and treats patients with severe depression.
Etymology
Psych is an informal shortening of psychiatry. It preserves the field-name while using only its opening syllable.
More examples
- Medical students study psych alongside surgery and internal medicine.
- His interest in psych grows during his hospital rotation.
- In psych, doctors may combine medication with talk therapy.
Forms
psychiatrist noun — A physician specializing in treating mental disorders.
psychiatric adjective — Relating to medical treatment of mental disorders.
Similar words
- psychiatry
- The full medical term; psych is an informal shortening.