psychedelic

comparative more psychedelic · superlative most psychedelic

1. Of, containing, generating, or reminiscent of drug-induced altered awareness, distortions of perception, hallucinations, etc.

   With those drugs has come the psychedelic philosophy, an impassioned belief in the self-revealing, mind-expanding powers of potent weeds and seeds and chemical compounds known to man since prehistory but wholly alien to the rationale of Western society.

   1967, Joe David Brown, editor, The Hippies, New York: Time, Inc, page 2

   Synonyms: lysergic, psych, trippy

2. Of graphics, etc.: having abstract shapes, bright colours, etc., reminiscent of drug-induced distortions of perception or hallucinations.

   There was a woman sitting on the edge of his bed. She had coral-orange hair, beryl-blue eyes, arched brows, freckles, a coy smile, a psychedelic labcoat and she was, he suddenly realized, his best friend of over twenty years.

   2022 September 24, HarryBlank, “Transition”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 23 May 2024

   Synonyms: multi-coloured

3. hippie slangAwesome, cool, groovy.

plural psychedelics

1. Any psychoactive substance (such as LSD or psilocybin) which, when consumed, causes perceptual changes (sometimes erratic and uncontrollable), visual hallucination, and altered awareness of the body and mind.

   I was going to become a three-drug connection to all my friends, psychedelics, hash and pot.

   2006, Dean McCormick, Dead End Street, page 62

   1 more example

   Joseph started microdosing psychedelics five years ago to try to improve his mental health. […] In practice, only about a third of people who microdose carefully measure the amount of the psychedelic they are taking; most take just enough to begin feeling some effects, which usually start after an hour and last four to six hours.

   2022 February 28, Dana G. Smith, “More People Are Microdosing for Mental Health. But Does It Work?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 12 Mar 2022