psychology
noun
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The Roots of Psychology
The word psychology was formed by combining the Greek psychē (meaning “breath, principle of life, life, soul,”) with –logia (which comes from the Greek logos, meaning “speech, word, reason”). An early use appears in Nicholas Culpeper’s mid-17th century translation of Simeon Partliz’s A New Method of Physick, in which it is stated that “Psychologie is the knowledg of the Soul.” Today, psychology is concerned with the science or study of the mind and behavior. Many branches of psychology are differentiated by the specific field to which they belong, such as animal psychology, child psychology, and sports psychology.
Examples of psychology in a Sentence
Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024
Given the weird psychology that drove the antagonists in the earlier films — a crazed lady taxidermist and then a psychopathic thespian, respectively — the villains’ thirst for riches here seems a little rote, while the use of El Dorado as a device just piles cliché on top of triteness.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Nov. 2024
So the big story here is really about the psychology.
—Jason Barlow, WIRED, 2 Nov. 2024
And that has to do with our psychology and physiology.
—Charlotte Hu, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Psychology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychology. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
psychology
noun
from scientific Latin psychologia "the study of the mind and behavior," derived from Greek psychē "soul, mind" and Greek -logia "science, study"
Medical Definition
psychology
noun
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