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
Anthony Zhang, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
The idea builds on the work of Fred Bryant, a professor emeritus of psychology at Loyola University Chicago, who pioneered the field of savoring research.
—Vicky Hallett, NPR, 10 Mar. 2025
At Duke, Reid studied evolutionary anthropology and anatomy while playing soccer, and Allen studied psychology while playing basketball, per Duke’s website.
—Makena Gera, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025
Her interests extend to topics such as human evolution, psychology, and quirky animal stories.
—Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for psychology
Cite this Entry
“Psychology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychology. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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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