Psych Can Mean Prepare, Unnerve or Simply Not Really
Psych is a shortening of psychology or psychiatric. As a verb it has three uses that pull in different directions.
Psych is an informal shortening of *psychology* or *psychiatric*, and a verb with several distinct uses. To *psych yourself up* is to prepare mentally; to *psych someone out* is to unnerve an opponent; and shouted alone, *psych!* means the previous statement was a joke. Three quite different meanings from one clipped word, all built on the idea of working on someone's mind. *Psyche* comes from the Greek for soul or breath, and the mythological Psyche was a mortal loved by Eros.
- Psychology (informal). *A psych degree.*
- Psych up — to prepare mentally. *Psych yourself up.*
- Psych out — to unnerve. *Psych out the opponent.*
- Psych! — just kidding. *Psych!*
- Greek — *psyche*, soul. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | psych | Psych class. |
| Verb | psych | Psych up. |
| Past | psyched | Psyched. |
| Adjective | psyched | Really psyched. |
| Greek | psyche | Soul, breath. |
- He psyched himself up before the race.Prepare.
- She psyched out her opponent.Unnerve.
- I'm psyched about the trip.Excited.
The psyche family
- Psychology — the study of the mind
- Psychiatry — the medical treatment of the mind
- Psychic — of the mind, or claiming supernatural perception
- Psychedelic — mind-revealing, coined in 1956
- Psyche — in myth, a mortal woman loved by Eros
A shortening of *psychology*, from Greek *psyche*, breath, life or soul, plus *-logia*, study.
What is the difference between psych up and psych out?
Psych up means preparing yourself mentally; psych out means undermining someone else's confidence.
What does psyche mean in Greek?
Breath, and by extension life or soul. The same word names the mortal woman loved by Eros in myth.