PSYCHE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Psyche mean? 

• PSYCHE (noun)
  The noun PSYCHE has 3 senses:

1. that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason

2. the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

3. (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

  Familiarity information: PSYCHE used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PSYCHE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

That which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

brain; head; mind; nous; psyche

Context example:

I couldn't get his words out of my head

Hypernyms ("psyche" is a kind of...):

cognition; knowledge; noesis (the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "psyche"):

noddle (an informal British expression for head or mind)

tabula rasa (a young mind not yet affected by experience (according to John Locke))

ego ((psychoanalysis) the conscious mind)

unconscious; unconscious mind (that part of the mind wherein psychic activity takes place of which the person is unaware)

subconscious; subconscious mind (psychic activity just below the level of awareness)

Derivation:

psychic; psychical (affecting or influenced by the human mind)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

psyche; soul

Hypernyms ("psyche" is a kind of...):

spirit (the vital principle or animating force within living things)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "psyche"):

ghost (the visible disembodied soul of a dead person)

Derivation:

psychical (affecting or influenced by the human mind)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Instance hypernyms:

mythical being (an imaginary being of myth or fable)

Domain category:

Greek mythology (the mythology of the ancient Greeks)

 Context examples 

I don't think the Parian Psyche Laurie gave lost any of its beauty because John put up the bracket it stood upon, that any upholsterer could have draped the plain muslin curtains more gracefully than Amy's artistic hand, or that any store-room was ever better provided with good wishes, merry words, and happy hopes than that in which Jo and her mother put away Meg's few boxes, barrels, and bundles, and I am morally certain that the spandy new kitchen never could have looked so cozy and neat if Hannah had not arranged every pot and pan a dozen times over, and laid the fire all ready for lighting the minute 'Mis. Brooke came home'.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)