English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
adj Uncommon

psychotic

seye-KO-tihk

Psychotic (adj) means relating to or affected by psychosis, especially involving hallucinations or delusions. Example: “He experienced a psychotic episode after months without sleep.”

adj
1
Relating to or affected by psychosis, especially involving hallucinations or delusions.
"He experienced a psychotic episode after months without sleep."
noun
1
A person affected by psychosis.
"The ward was set up to care for patients in acute psychotic states."

How to use psychotic

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishRelating to a serious break from reality, or someone experiencing that break.

Common mistake

Don't use "psychotic" casually to mean simply "angry" or "crazy" — it's a specific clinical term.

Common pairings
psychotic episode psychotic break

Word forms

more psychotic comparative, psychotics plural, most psychotic superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “psychotic” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He experienced a _____ episode after months without sleep.

Etymology

Formed from psychosis + -tic, attested since the late 1800s.

· First attested 1800

Class of 1800 psychotic joined the language around 1800.
See the full Class of 1800 →
psycho psychotic person

Related words

Rhymes for psychotic

See all rhymes for psychotic →

Frequently asked questions

What does “psychotic” mean?

The word “psychotic” means relating to or affected by psychosis, especially involving hallucinations or delusions. In plain terms, relating to a serious break from reality, or someone experiencing that break.

How do you pronounce “psychotic”?

“Psychotic” is pronounced seye-KO-tihk (/ˌsaɪˈkɒtɪk/ in IPA).

How do you use “psychotic” in a sentence?

Here is “psychotic” used in a sentence: “He experienced a psychotic episode after months without sleep.”

What part of speech is “psychotic”?

Depending on how it is used, “psychotic” can be an adjective and a noun.

Where does the word “psychotic” come from?

The word “psychotic” dates back to around 1800. Formed from psychosis + -tic, attested since the late 1800s.

Is “psychotic” a common word?

“Psychotic” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “psychotic” have?

“Psychotic” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to or affected by psychosis, especially involving hallucinations or delusions.

Featured in

People also searched

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial