adjective
psychic
Relating to the mind or its processes.
Chronic stress can cause psychic pain as well as physical discomfort.
Etymology
The Greek source means soul or mind. This sense of psychic directly describes mental activity, without requiring a supernatural meaning.
More examples
- The novel traces the psychic development of a troubled young artist.
- Therapy helps her understand the psychic effects of childhood trauma.
- Grief brings psychic distress that others may struggle to see.
Forms
psychic
psyche noun — The mind, including conscious and unconscious processes.
Similar words
- mental
- The more common, everyday choice for matters involving the mind.
- psychological
- Emphasizes thoughts, emotions, and behavior, often in clinical contexts.