parapsychology
UK[ˌpærəsaɪˈkɒlədʒi]US[ˌperəsaɪˈkɑːlədʒi]
n
The study of mental abilities, such as telepathy and clairvoyance, that seem to be beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding.
Morpheme Breakdown
para
psychology
para
beside
psychology
study of the mind
Etymology
The term is a modern scientific compound, constructed in the early 20th century from Greek-derived elements. The prefix 'para-' (from Greek 'pará', meaning "beside, alongside") was appended to the established discipline of 'psychology'. This formation literally means "beside psychology" or "beyond psychology," indicating a field that investigates phenomena considered adjacent to or outside the traditional boundaries of psychological science. The logic of the word directly reflects its purpose: to denote the systematic study (logy) of mental (psych) phenomena that lie alongside (para) the conventional.
Analysis
Structure: para (beside) + psychology (study of the mind)
para: A prefix of Greek origin meaning "beside, beyond, or abnormal."
psychology: A noun of Greek origin, itself from 'psyche' (mind, soul) + 'logia' (study of).
Examples
She was skeptical about the claims made in the field of parapsychology.
The university's department offered a controversial course on parapsychology.
Despite decades of research, parapsychology remains on the fringes of mainstream science.