D. J. Kevles
Did you know?
Sometime back in the 16th century, we borrowed the word psyche directly from Greek into English. In Greek mythology, Psyche was a beautiful princess who fell in love with Eros (Cupid), god of love, and went through terrible trials before being allowed to marry him. The story is often understood to be about the soul redeeming itself through love. (To the Greeks, psyche also meant "butterfly", which suggests how they imagined the soul.) In English, psyche often sounds less spiritual than soul, less intellectual than mind, and more private than personality.
Examples of psyche in a Sentence
David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 4 Feb. 2025
This yardstick of psyche comes from monthly polling that, for this report, ended on Jan. 20.
—Jonathan Lansner, Orange County Register, 31 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile, the drone of synths and cicadas create a threatening environment from the start, while suggesting the possibility that maybe this is all just an extension of Conor’s introverted psyche.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2025
When the discovery of a mythic creature with mysterious origins and abilities upends their lives, new experiences and pleasures induce the group at the increasing cost of their psyches.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for psyche 
Dictionary Entries Near psyche
Cite this Entry
“Psyche.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psyche. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
psyche
noun
Medical Definition
psyche
noun
Share