Psychedelic
/ˌsaɪ.kəˈdɛl.ɪk/noun
Relating to substances or experiences that produce profound changes in perception, mood, and consciousness.
Did you know?Psychiatrist Humphry Osmond coined “psychedelic” in 1956 in a letter to Aldous Huxley, choosing it as an alternative to the darker-sounding “psychotomimetic,” meaning “imitating psychosis.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰews-
“To breathe or become animated; a proposed ancient root behind Greek psychē.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
psukhē
“Breath, life, soul, or animating spirit; later, the mind.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
dēloun
“To make visible, clear, or manifest.”
1956
English
psychedelic
“Coined by Humphry Osmond from Greek elements to mean “mind-manifesting.””
Modern English
English
psychedelic
“Producing or relating to altered states of perception and consciousness.”
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