psychopath
UK[ˈsaɪ.kə.pæθ]US[ˈsaɪ.koʊ.pæθ]
n
A person suffering from a severe mental disorder that causes them to behave violently or aggressively without feeling guilty or showing normal human emotions.
n
(Informal) A person who is completely selfish, lacks empathy, and is willing to harm others for personal gain.
Morpheme Breakdown
psycho
path
psycho
mind, soul
path
suffering, disease
Etymology
The term is a modern scientific formation, coined in the late 19th century from two classical Greek roots. The first element, psychē, originally meant "breath, life, soul," evolving to denote the human mind and personality. The second element, pathos, carried meanings of suffering, experience, and disease. Literally, "psychopath" suggests a "suffering of the soul" or a "disease of the mind." This etymological logic directly informed the early clinical definition, which focused on a perceived moral or emotional illness. Over time, the term's usage has narrowed and shifted from its literal Greek construction to specify a particular pattern of antisocial personality traits characterized by a profound lack of empathy and remorse.
Analysis
Structure: psycho (mind, soul) + path (suffering, disease)
- psycho: From Greek psychē (ψυχή), meaning "soul, spirit, mind". In this compound, it functions as the base, indicating the domain of the condition.
- path: From Greek pathos (πάθος), meaning "suffering, feeling, disease". In this compound, it functions as a suffix indicating a condition or disease.
Examples
The film's antagonist is a chillingly intelligent psychopath who manipulates everyone around him.
Some experts argue that the diagnosis of psychopath should be based on specific behavioral and emotional criteria.
He displayed the cold, calculating demeanor often associated with a corporate psychopath.