# ψυχή
## Ancient Greek
### Alternative forms

* ψῡχᾱ́ (psūkhā́) — Doric

### Etymology

Analyzable as ψῡ́χω (psū́khō, “I blow”) +‎ -η (-ē). The original meaning is thus supposed to have been 'breath'. Compare the origins of Latin anima and Proto-Slavic *duša.
Compare Proto-Circassian *psa, Proto-Northwest Caucasian *pǝsA (literally “soul”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /psyː.kʰɛ̌ː/ → /psyˈçi/ → /psiˈçi/
* (5th BCE Attic) IPA: /psyː.kʰɛ̌ː/
* (1st CE Egyptian) IPA: /psyˈkʰe̝/
* (4th CE Koine) IPA: /psyˈçi/
* (10th CE Byzantine) IPA: /psyˈçi/
* (15th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA: /psiˈçi/
* Hyphenation: ψυ‧χή

### Noun

ψῡχή • (psūkhḗ) f (genitive ψῡχῆς); first declension
* The animating principle of a human or animal body, vital spirit, soul, life (the animating principle of life).
** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 22.324 f.: […] φαίνετο δ’ ᾗ κληῖδες ἀπ’ ὤμων αὐχέν’ ἔχουσι λαυκανίην, ἵνα τε ψυχῆς ὤκιστος ὄλεθρος·[…] phaíneto d’ hêi klēîdes ap’ ṓmōn aukhén’ ékhousi laukaníēn, hína te psukhês ṓkistos ólethros;1924 translation by Augustus Taber Murray […] but there was an opening where the collar bones part the neck and shoulders, even the gullet, where destruction of life cometh most speedily;
** New Testament, Revelation 8:9, (text according to Stephanus [1550] and Scrivener [1894]): […] καὶ ἀπέθανεν τὸ τρίτον τῶν κτισμάτων τῶν ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ τὰ ἔχοντα ψυχὰς καὶ τὸ τρίτον τῶν πλοίων διεφθαρη.[…] kaì apéthanen tò tríton tôn ktismátōn tôn en têi thalássēi tà ékhonta psukhàs kaì tò tríton tôn ploíōn diephtharē.1862 translation by Robert Young (Young's Literal Translation) […] and die did the third of the creatures […] in the sea, those having life, and the third of the ships were destroyed.
** (poetic) Life-breath, lifeblood (‘the animating principle of life’ in corporeal interpretation).
*** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 14.516–519:Ἀτρεΐδης δ’ ἄρ’ ἔπειθ’ Ὑπερήνορα ποιμένα λαῶν οὖτα κατὰ λαπάρην, διὰ δ’ ἔντερα χαλκὸς ἄφυσσε δῃώσας: ψυχὴ δὲ κατ’ οὐταμένην ὠτειλὴν ἔσσυτ’ ἐπειγομένη, τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψε.Atreḯdēs d’ ár’ épeith’ Huperḗnora poiména laôn oûta katà lapárēn, dià d’ éntera khalkòs áphusse dēiṓsas: psukhḕ dè kat’ outaménēn ōteilḕn éssut’ epeigoménē, tòn dè skótos ósse kálupse.1990 translation by Robert FaglesMenelaus took the hardened captain Hyperenor, gouged his flank and the bronze ripped him open, spurting his entrails out — and his life[-blood], gushing forth through the raw, yawning wound, went pulsing fast and the dark came swirling down across his eyes.
*** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 16.505: […] τοῖο δ’ ἅμα ψυχήν τε καὶ ἔγχεος ἐξέρυσ’ αἰχμήν.[…] toîo d’ háma psukhḗn te kaì énkheos exérus’ aikhmḗn.1990 translation by Robert Fagles […] so he dragged out both the man's life-breath and the weapon's point together.
** (philosophy, since the early physicists) Animating principle in primary substances, the source of life and consciousness.
*** Heraclitus, frag. 36 :ψυχῇσιν θάνατος ὕδωρ γενέσθαι, ὕδατι δὲ θάνατος γῆν γενέσθαι, ἐκ γῆς δὲ ὕδωρ γίνεται, ἐξ ὕδατος δὲ ψυχή.psukhêisin thánatos húdōr genésthai, húdati dè thánatos gên genésthai, ek gês dè húdōr gínetai, ex húdatos dè psukhḗ.1920 translation by John BurnetFor it is death to souls to become water, and death to water to become earth. But water comes from earth; and from water, soul.
*** 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, De anima 405a20:ἔοικε δὲ καὶ Θαλῆς ἐξ ὧν ἀπομνημονεύουσι κινητικόν τι τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπολαβεῖν, εἴπερ τὴν λίθον ἔφη ψυχὴν ἔχειν, ὅτι τὸν σίδηρον κινεῖ·éoike dè kaì Thalês ex hôn apomnēmoneúousi kinētikón ti tḕn psukhḕn hupolabeîn, eíper tḕn líthon éphē psukhḕn ékhein, hóti tòn sídēron kineî;1855 translation by Charles CollierThales, too, from what has been recorded of him, seems to have assumed that the Vital Principle is something motive, since he said that the loadstone must have a Vital Principle because it gives motion to iron.
** (Septuagint) A person
*** 300 BCE – 200 BCE, Septuagint, Genesis 46.18
* Animate existence, viewed as a possession, one’s life.
** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 9.322: […] αἰεὶ ἐμὴν ψυχὴν παραβαλλόμενος πολεμίζειν.[…] aieì emḕn psukhḕn paraballómenos polemízein.1924 translation by Augustus Taber Murray […] ever staking my life in fight.
** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 9.422 f.:πάντας δὲ δόλους καὶ μῆτιν ὕφαινον, ὥς τε περὶ ψυχῆς· μέγα γὰρ κακὸν ἐγγύθεν ἦεν.pántas dè dólous kaì mêtin húphainon, hṓs te perì psukhês; méga gàr kakòn engúthen êen.1862 translation by Augustus Taber MurrayAnd I wove all manner of wiles and counsel, as a man will in a matter of life and death; for great was the evil that was nigh us.
* The spirit or soul thought of as distinct from the body and leaving it at death (the immortal part of a person).
** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 1.1–5:μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος οὐλομένην, ἣ μυρί’ Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε’ ἔθηκε, πολλὰς δ’ ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς Ἄϊδι προΐαψεν ἡρώων, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν οἰωνοῖσί τε πᾶσι, Διὸς δ’ ἐτελείετο βουλή.mênin áeide theà Pēlēïádeō Akhilêos ouloménēn, hḕ murí’ Akhaioîs álge’ éthēke, pollàs d’ iphthímous psukhàs Áïdi proḯapsen hērṓōn, autoùs dè helṓria teûkhe kúnessin oiōnoîsí te pâsi, Diòs d’ eteleíeto boulḗ.1990 translation by Robert FaglesRage — Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles, […] doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses, hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy […] great fighters’ souls, but made their bodies carrion, feasts for the dogs and birds, and the will of Zeus was moving toward its end.
** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 5.696: […] τὸν δ’ ἔλιπε ψυχή, κατὰ δ’ ὀφθαλμῶν κέχυτ’ ἀχλύς·[…] tòn d’ élipe psukhḗ, katà d’ ophthalmôn kékhut’ akhlús;1924 translation by Augustus Taber Murray […] and his spirit failed him, and down over his eyes a mist was shed.
** A disembodied spirit, a shade or ghost (the spirit of a dead person).
*** 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 23.362–24.2:αὐτίκα γὰρ φάτις εἶσιν ἅμ’ ἠελίῳ ἀνιόντι ἀνδρῶν μνηστήρων, οὓς ἔκτανον ἐν μεγάροισιν. ⁂ Ἑρμῆς δὲ ψυχὰς Κυλλήνιος ἐξεκαλεῖτο ἀνδρῶν μνηστήρων: […] autíka gàr phátis eîsin hám’ ēelíōi aniónti andrôn mnēstḗrōn, hoùs éktanon en megároisin. ⁂ Hermês dè psukhàs Kullḗnios exekaleîto andrôn mnēstḗrōn: […]1996 translation by Robert Fagles[Go] quick as the rising sun the news will spread of the suitors that I killed inside the house. ⁂ Now Cyllenian Hermes called away the suitors’ ghosts, […]
* Spirit (animated attitude), conscious self, personality as centre of emotions, desires and affections, heart.
** 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Isthmian Ode 53–55:Θηβᾶν ἀπὸ Καδμεϊᾶν μορφὰν βραχύς, ψυχὰν δ’ ἄκαμπτος, προσπαλαίσων ἦλθ’ ἀνὴρ τὰν πυροφόρον Λιβύαν, κρανίοις ὄφρα ξένων ναὸν Ποσειδάωνος ἐρέφοντα σχέθοι, υἱὸς ἈλκμήναςThēbân apò Kadmeïân morphàn brakhús, psukhàn d’ ákamptos, prospalaísōn êlth’ anḕr tàn purophóron Libúan, kraníois óphra xénōn naòn Poseidáōnos eréphonta skhéthoi, huiòs Alkmḗnas1990 translation by Diane SvarlienAnd yet once there went from Thebes, Cadmus’ city, a hero short in stature but unflinching in spirit. This hero went to the house of Antaeus in grain-bearing Libya, to keep him from roofing Poseidon's temple with the skulls of strangers, Alcmena's son.
** 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, On Horsemanship 11.1:ἢν δέ τις ἄρα βουληθῇ καὶ πομπικῷ καὶ μετεώρῳ καὶ λαμπρῷ ἵππῳ χρήσασθαι, οὐ μάλα μὲν τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐκ παντὸς ἵππου γίγνεται, ἀλλὰ δεῖ ὑπάρξαι αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν μεγαλόφρονα καὶ τὸ σῶμα εὔρωστον.ḕn dé tis ára boulēthêi kaì pompikôi kaì meteṓrōi kaì lamprôi híppōi khrḗsasthai, ou mála mèn tà toiaûta ek pantòs híppou gígnetai, allà deî hupárxai autôi kaì tḕn psukhḕn megalóphrona kaì tò sôma eúrōston.c. 1898 translation by Henry Graham DakynsIf, however, the wish is to secure a horse adapted to parade and state processions, a high stepper and a showy animal, these are qualities not to be found combined in every horse, but to begin with, the animal must have high spirit and a stalwart body.
** (philosophy, after Plato) The spirit of the universe, the immaterial principle of movement and life.
*** 360 BCE, Plato, Timaeus 34b:ψυχὴν δὲ εἰς τὸ μέσον αὐτοῦ θεὶς διὰ παντός τε ἔτεινεν καὶ ἔτι ἔξωθεν τὸ σῶμα αὐτῇ περιεκάλυψεν, […] psukhḕn dè eis tò méson autoû theìs dià pantós te éteinen kaì éti éxōthen tò sôma autêi periekálupsen, […]1925 translation by W. R. M. LambAnd in the midst thereof He set Soul, which He stretched throughout the whole of it, and therewith He enveloped also the exterior of its body; […]
* The mind (seat or organ of thought), (the faculty of) reason.
** 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Economics 6.16:ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἄρα εἶχεν οὕτως, ἀλλ’ ἐνίους ἐδόκουν καταμανθάνειν τῶν καλῶν τὰς μορφὰς πάνυ μοχθηροὺς ὄντας τὰς ψυχάς.all’ ouk ára eîkhen hoútōs, all’ eníous edókoun katamanthánein tôn kalôn tàs morphàs pánu mokhthēroùs óntas tàs psukhás.1979 translation by E. C. Marchant, O. J. Todd and William HeinemannBut after all, it was not so: I thought I discovered that some who were beautiful to look at were thoroughly depraved in their minds.
* (rare, extended from the meaning ‘soul’) Butterfly.
** 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Aristotle, History of Animals 5.19:Γίνονται δ’ αἱ μὲν καλούμεναι ψυχαὶ ἐκ τῶν καμπῶν, αἳ γίνονται ἐπὶ τῶν φύλλων τῶν χλωρῶν, καὶ μάλιστα ἐπὶ τῆς ῥαφάνου, ἣν καλοῦσί τινες κράμβην.Gínontai d’ hai mèn kaloúmenai psukhaì ek tôn kampôn, haì gínontai epì tôn phúllōn tôn khlōrôn, kaì málista epì tês rhaphánou, hḕn kaloûsí tines krámbēn.Those arise — those which one calls butterflies (psukhai) — out of those caterpillars which arise on leaves of green, especially on the [leaves] of the cabbage-plant (raphanos), which some call cabbage (krambē).

#### Quotations

* 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Nemean Ode 37–39:παῦροι δὲ βουλεῦσαι φόνου παρποδίου νεφέλαν τρέψαι ποτὶ δυσμενέων ἀνδρῶν στίχας χερσὶ καὶ ψυχᾷ δυνατοίpaûroi dè bouleûsai phónou parpodíou nephélan trépsai potì dusmenéōn andrôn stíkhas khersì kaì psukhâi dunatoí
       cited by Liddell and Scott as an example of ψυχή meaning “the conscious self or personality as centre of emotions, desires, and affections”
       Dawson Turner’s prose translation (1852):
          But few are able to counsel how with hands and soul to turn the cloud of war that is upon them upon the ranks of the enemies.
       Abraham Moore’s metrical translation (1852):
          Few are the fiery souls that know, When war’s fierce tempest heaviest falls, Back on th’ assailant’s arms and wavering ranks With hand and heart to turn The wasteful wreck.
       Diane Svarlien’s translation (1990):
          But few are able to conspire with hand and heart to turn back against the ranks of the enemy the cloud of slaughter that presses close upon them.
* 50 CE – 100 CE, The Gospel of Luke 21:19: […] ἐν τῇ ὑπομονῇ ὑμῶν κτήσασθε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν[…] en têi hupomonêi humôn ktḗsasthe tàs psukhàs humônTranslation by YLV, KJV […] in your patience possess ye your souls

#### Derived terms

* ἐλευθερόψῡχος (eleutherópsūkhos)
* εὔψῡχος (eúpsūkhos)
* ψῡχῆς λᾰμπρότης (psūkhês lămprótēs)
* ψῡχικός (psūkhikós)
* ψῡχο- (psūkho-)

#### Descendants

* Greek: ψυχή (psychí)
* Mariupol Greek: пши (pši)
* → Coptic: ⲯⲩⲭⲏ (psukhē)
* → Latin: psȳchē (see there for further descendants)

### References

* ↑ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “ψῡχή”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 1671-2

### Further reading

* “ψυχή”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
* “ψυχή”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
* Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited. animation idem, page 30.being idem, page 72.bosom idem, page 90.breast idem, page 96.consciousness idem, page 162.heart idem, page 392.life idem, page 489.mind idem, page 530.nerve idem, page 556.reins idem, page 688.soul idem, page 796.spirit idem, page 802.vital idem, page 955.vitality idem, page 955.
* ψυχή in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
* ψυχή in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
* “ψυχή”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
* ψυχή in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2025)
* G5590 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
* Bauer, Walter et al. (2001) A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
* 2006, Steven Paul, The Apocalypse Letter by Letter: A Literary Analysis of the Book of Revelation, page 281 (discussing Revelation 8:9): “The literal meaning of the noun ‘ψυχή’ [psykhë, or psyche] is ‘breath’; hence, like ‘πνεῦμα’ [pneuma], it can also mean ‘spirit, soul, mind.’"
* Leon Marvell (2007) “the psyche (the term derives from ψυχη, the breath, and ψυχειν, to breathe)”, in Transfigured light: philosophy, cybernetics and the hermetic imaginary (in Ancient Greek), →ISBN, page 128

## Greek
### Etymology

Inherited from Ancient Greek ψῡχή.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /psiˈçi/
* Audio:(file)
* with article, feminine singular accusative την (tin): IPA: /tim‿bziˈçi/
* Hyphenation: ψυ‧χή

### Noun

ψυχή • (psychí) f (plural ψυχές)
* (religion, folklore, also figurative) soul, spirit (essence of a person (or place or thing figuratively) usually thought to consist of one's thoughts and personality)
    Ο Θεός να αναπαύσει την ψυχή της. ― O Theós na anapáfsei tin psychí tis. ― God rest her soul.
    Το σώμα είναι η κιβωτός της ψυχής. ― To sóma eínai i kivotós tis psychís. ― The body is the vessel of the soul.
    η ψυχή της Ελλάδας ― i psychí tis Elládas ― the soul of Greece
* (synecdochically) person
    Στον δρόμο δεν υπήρχε ψυχή τέτοια ώρα. ― Ston drómo den ypírche psychí tétoia óra. ― There wasn't a person to be seen on the road at that hour.
* (figuratively) courage, bravery, valour (quality of a confident character not to be afraid or intimidated easily)
* (entomology) butterfly
    Synonym: πεταλούδα (petaloúda)
* (music) sound post (of a string instrument, e.g. the violin)

#### Derived terms

* άβυσσος η ψυχή του ανθρώπου (ávyssos i psychí tou anthrópou, “there's nowt so queer as folk”, literally “an abyss [is] the soul of man”)
* εν βρασμώ ψυχής (en vrasmó psychís)
* μια ψυχή που είναι να βγει (mia psychí pou eínai na vgei)
* πήγε η ψυχή μου στην Κούλουρη (píge i psychí mou stin Koúlouri)
* ψυχή τε και σώματι (psychí te kai sómati)

#### Related terms

* αναψυχή f (anapsychí, “recreation, entertainment”)
* αναψυχώνω (anapsychóno, “reanimate; give courage”)
* αψυχολόγητος (apsychológitos)
* άψυχος (ápsychos, “lifeless; spiritless”)
* γενναιόψυχος (gennaiópsychos)
* έμψυχος (émpsychos, “animate”)
* εμψυχώνω (empsychóno, “give courage”) & related words
* εφτάψυχος (eftápsychos)
* κακόψυχος (kakópsychos)
* καλόψυχος (kalópsychos)
* λιγόψυχος (ligópsychos)
* λιπόψυχος (lipópsychos)
* μεγαλόψυχος (megalópsychos, “magnanimous”)
* μετεμψύχωση f (metempsýchosi, “transmigration, metempsychosis”)
* μικρόψυχος (mikrópsychos, “mean-spirited”)
* ξεψυχάω (xepsycháo, “die”), ξεψυχώ (xepsychó)
* ξεψυχισμένος (xepsychisménos, “faint, toneless”, participle)
* ολόψυχα (olópsycha, adverb)
* ολόψυχος (olópsychos, “wholehearted”)
* ομοψυχία f (omopsychía)
* ομόψυχος (omópsychos)
* πονόψυχος (ponópsychos)
* ψυχαγωγία f (psychagogía, “entertainment”) & related words
* ψυχάκι n (psycháki, diminutive)
* ψυχάρα f (psychára, augmentative)
* ψυχεδελικός (psychedelikós, “psychedelic”, adj)
* ψυχικά (psychiká, adverb)
* ψυχικό n (psychikó)
* ψυχικός (psychikós, “of the soul”)
* ψυχισμός m (psychismós)
* ψυχοσωματικός (psychosomatikós, “psychosomatic”, adj)
* ψυχούδι n (psychoúdi) (idiomatic)
* ψυχούλα f (psychoúla, diminutive)
* ψυχωμένος (psychoménos, participle)
* ψύχωση f (psýchosi, “psychosis”) & compounds
* ψυχωσικός (psychosikós)
* ψυχωτικός (psychotikós, “psychotic”)
and ψυχο- (psycho-, “psycho-”) like ψυχαγωγία f (psychagogía, “entertainment”), ψυχιατρική f (psychiatrikí, “psychiatry”), ψυχολογία f (psychología, “psychology”)

### Further reading

* ψυχή, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language
* ψυχή on the Greek Wikipedia.Wikipedia $^{el}$