Definition

1. Noun:
   • The human soul, spirit, or mind: The non-physical, immaterial essence of a person, considered as the center of thought, emotion, and consciousness.
   • (In psychology) The totality of the human mind, conscious and unconscious: The complete mental structure of an individual, encompassing all psychological processes and personality.
   • (Capitalized, in Greek mythology) A mortal princess loved by Eros (Cupid): A figure whose story symbolizes the soul's journey and its union with divine love.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Soul/Mind):
  • The traumatic event scarred her psyche deeply.
  • Artists often explore the depths of the human psyche.
• Noun (Psychology):
  • Freudian theory divides the psyche into the id, ego, and superego.
• Noun (Mythology):
  • The myth of Psyche and Cupid is a story about love and trust.

Advanced Usage

• "To psyche oneself up": To prepare oneself mentally for a challenging task, often by increasing confidence or excitement.
  • She listened to loud music to psyche herself up before the big race.
• "To psyche out": To intimidate or gain a psychological advantage over an opponent.
  • The champion tried to psyche out his challenger with a confident stare.

Variants and Related Words

• Psychic (adj): Relating to the mind or psyche; or, relating to paranormal mental abilities.
  • She claimed to have psychic powers.
• Psychology (n): The scientific study of the human mind and its functions.
• Psychoanalysis (n): A therapeutic method and theory of the psyche, emphasizing unconscious processes.

Synonyms

• Soul: The spiritual or immaterial part of a person.
• Mind: The element of a person that enables them to be aware, think, and feel.
• Spirit: The non-physical part of a person, often associated with life force or character.
• Ego (in psychology): The part of the psyche that mediates between the conscious and unconscious.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Phrases

• Psyche out: (As above) To make someone feel less confident through psychological means.
• Psyche up: (As above) To mentally prepare or motivate oneself.

Related Idioms

• A battle/struggle within the psyche: Refers to an internal mental or emotional conflict.
  • His indecision was a real battle within his psyche.
• To delve into the psyche: To explore or analyze the deep, often hidden, parts of the mind.
  • The novelist's work delves into the psyche of a murderer.

Noun

1. (Greek mythology) a beautiful princess loved by Cupid who visited her at night and told her she must not try to see him; became the personification of the soul
2. the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
3. that which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason
   • his mind wandered
   • I couldn't get his words out of my head