psychodynamic

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adjective

Of or pertaining to psychodynamics, the dynamic interplay between forces that govern human behavior, or the study of this

UncommonScrabble 31

Meanings

adjectivepsychodynamic (not comparable)
  1. not comparableOf or pertaining to psychodynamics, the dynamic interplay between forces that govern human behavior, or the study of this
    3 more examples

    For example, although not originally written with teenagers specifically in mind, the founding father of psychodynamic theory Sigmund Freud's assertion that the libido was one of the most powerful and natural of human needs has been viewed by some as contributing to an endorsement and legitimization of teenagers' wish to explore and test society's mores and limits.

    2019, Kairen Cullen, The Psychology of Parenting Teenagers, page 15

    In the classic marshmallow studies, delaying gratification by waiting to eat the marshmallows is seen as a good result—indicating more willpower. This framing is expected given that the starting point of this research was the Freudian psychodynamic position, which contrasted hot animalistic drives with cool rational processes.

    2020, Joseph Cesario, David J. Johnson, Heather L. Eisthen, “Your Brain Is Not an Onion With a Tiny Reptile Inside”, in Current Directions in Psychological Science, volume 29, number 3

    It then told me it was trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, which it said was an “effective way to challenge how you’re thinking about things.” Unlike psychodynamic or psychoanalytic therapies, C.B.T. argues that our emotions and moods are influenced by our patterns of thinking; change those patterns, the theory goes, and you’ll start to feel better.

    2022 September 27, Barclay Bram, “My Therapist, the Robot”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 27 Sep 2022

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekψῡχή (psūkhḗ)
  2. Ancient Greekψῡχο- (psūkho-)
  3. Englishpsycho-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*dewh₂-
  5. Proto-Hellenic*dunamai
  6. Ancient Greekδῠ́νᾰμαι (dŭ́nămai)
  7. Ancient Greekδύναμις (dúnamis)
  8. Ancient Greekδυναμικός (dunamikós)
  9. Frenchdynamique
  10. Englishdynamic
  11. Englishpsychodynamic

From psycho- + dynamic.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish psykodynaaminen
  • psykodynaaminenof or pertaining to psychodynamics
Irish sícidinimiciúil
  • sícidinimiciúilof or pertaining to psychodynamics
Italian psicodinamico
  • psicodinamicoof or pertaining to psychodynamics
Spanish psicodinámico
  • psicodinámicoof or pertaining to psychodynamics
Cite this entry
APA

psychodynamic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/psychodynamic

MLA

“psychodynamic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/psychodynamic. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “psychodynamic,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/psychodynamic.

Source: psychodynamic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.