What does the prefix psycho- mean?
Psycho- comes from the Greek psyche, which means "soul" or "mind". It shows a relation to the mind, mental processes or psychology. The spelling trips people up: the p is silent, so psycho- sounds like "sigh-ko".
ESEN
Prefix · mind / psychology
psycho-
Signals relation to the mind or psychology: psychology, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis.
Scientific
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Psycho- in everyday speech
In everyday English, "psycho" on its own is used informally to say that someone behaves in a very strange or dangerous way. It can be offensive, so it is better not to use it about real people. In science and clinical settings, on the other hand, the prefix always keeps its technical sense: something related to the mind.
How it is used
Attaches to scientific and clinical nouns:
- psycho- + field/treatmentlogy → psychologytherapy → psychotherapyanalysis → psychoanalysislinguistics → psycholinguistics
- psycho- + disorder/processsis → psychosispath → psychopathsomatic → psychosomaticactive → psychoactive
Pronunciation: /ˈsaɪkəʊ/. The initial "p" is silent in English.
How it is pronounced
psycho-/ˈsaɪkəʊ/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Root word
With psycho-
In a phrase
- logypsychologyShe studied psychology to understand how people behave under stress.
- therapypsychotherapyHe attended weekly psychotherapy sessions to process childhood trauma.
- analysispsychoanalysisFreud developed psychoanalysis to explore unconscious conflicts.
- somaticpsychosomaticHis headaches were psychosomatic, triggered by workplace stress.
- sispsychosisPsychosis involves losing touch with reality and can cause hallucinations.
- activepsychoactiveCaffeine is one of the most consumed psychoactive substances worldwide.
- pathpsychopathA clinical psychopath shows specific behavioural patterns, not just violence.
Common mistakes
psychology is pronounced /psaɪˈkɒlədʒi/ with an audible "p"
psychology is pronounced /saɪˈkɒlədʒi/: the initial "p" is completely silent
In English, the "p" in psycho- is always silent: psychology = /saɪˈkɒlədʒi/, psychopath = /ˈsaɪkəpæθ/, psychosis = /saɪˈkəʊsɪs/.
psychosomatic = only existing in the patient's imagination (faked)
psychosomatic = real physical symptoms with a significant psychological origin or influence
Psychosomatic symptoms are physically real, not faked. The mind (psyche) influences the body (soma): stress can cause real stomach ulcers, real headaches, real skin conditions. Calling something psychosomatic does not mean it is imaginary.
A trick to remember it
Think of a psychologist exploring the mind: psycho- = mind. psychology, psychotherapy.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"___ drugs affect the brain and can alter perception, mood, consciousness, or behaviour significantly."
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
What does "psychosomatic" actually mean in medicine?
Frequently asked questions
What does the prefix psycho- mean in English?
The prefix psycho- signals relation to the mind or psychology: psychology, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis.
How do you pronounce psycho-?
The prefix psycho- is pronounced /ˈsaɪkəʊ/. For example, "psychology".
Can you give an example of a word with psycho-?
"logy" becomes "psychology". It is a typical example of the psycho- prefix.
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