A noun referring to a person with an antisocial personality disorder characterized by lack of empathy, manipulation, and impulsive, often harmful behavior. The term is frequently used in psychology, criminology, and media to describe individuals who exhibit extreme antisocial traits. It is commonly applied in clinical or colloquial contexts, though stigmatizing in everyday use.
US: keep rhotic US vowels typical; UK: crisper consonants, slightly tenser vowel quality; AU: possibly wider vowels in 'path' and a more centralized vowel in 'ə'. IPA references: US/UK/AU: ˈsaɪ.kə.pæθ. Focus on differentiating the 'i' [aɪ], 'ə' (schwa) and 'æ' in 'path'. In all accents, final θ should be unvoiced and released with air.
"The psychologist described the suspect as a psychopath due to his calculated manipulation and lack of remorse."
"In fiction, villains are often written as psychopaths to underline their dangerous unpredictability."
"Some argue that certain corporate leaders display psychopath traits without meeting clinical criteria."
"Public discussions about serial killers frequently label them psychopaths, though expertise emphasizes diagnosis."
Psychopath derives from Greek psyche ‘mind, soul’ + pathos ‘suffering, feeling, disease,’ forming a compound that entered English via early 20th-century medical usage. The term was originally used in psychiatric literature to describe a mental disturbance with pronounced affective disturbances and personality pathology. Early psychiatrists distinguished ‘psychopathy’ as a soft, morally loaded descriptor for abnormal personality traits; over time the term broadened in popular culture to denote a dangerous, remorseless individual. In clinical settings, psychiatry shifted toward more precise diagnoses like antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and other formal ICD-10/DSM-5 labels, reducing the neutral clinical weight of “psychopath.” Despite this shift, the word persists in media, literature, and everyday speech to convey predatory, calculated behavior. First known uses appear in medical texts from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, with diffusion into criminology and popular culture by mid-20th century, mounting public interest as sensational cases highlighted the archetypal ‘psychopath’ figure. The word’s semantic arc moves from a neutral descriptor of mental suffering to a pejorative label for dangerous personality profiles, while modern psychology tends to prefer specific diagnostic criteria and descriptive language over blanket terms.
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Words that rhyme with "Psychopath"
-ath sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Say it as ˈsaɪ.kə.pæθ. The primary stress is on the first syllable: SY. Pause slightly between syllables, with a clear long 'i' in 'psy' and a short 'a' in 'path.' Your mouth starts open for the 's' and lips relaxed for 'i,' then the 'k' is a hard stop before 'ə' (schwa), and finish with 'pæθ' where you should release a small aspirated 'p' and soft 'th' (voiceless dental fricative).
Common errors: misplacing the stress (stressing the second syllable) or saying 'psy-co-path' with an elongated 'co' and a silent or softened 'th.' Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable: ˈsaɪ.kə.pæθ; ensure the 'kə' uses a quick, neutral schwa before the final 'pæθ.' Practice the final 'θ' by placing the tongue between the teeth and blowing air without vocal fold vibration. Finally, avoid blending 'psy' into a 'sigh-co' with heavy 'co' sounds; keep distinct syllables.
In US, UK, and AU, the primary stress remains on the first syllable: ˈsaɪ.kə.pæθ. US vowels may be flatter; UK tends to crisper 'i' and slightly more rounded 'ɑ' in 'path' depending on speaker. Australian English often has a broader vowel in 'path' closer to 'a' as in 'bath' in some dialects. The final 'th' remains voiceless dental; non-rhotic tendencies in some UK and AU speakers may make the 'r' absent (not relevant here as there is no 'r'), while rhotic US pronunciations show no postvocalic 'r'.
Two main challenges: the initial 'psy-' cluster and the final 'th' sound. The 'ps' cluster requires an initial sibilant followed by a plosive 'p' without vocalizing both; the tongue briefly stops for the 'k' before a schwa. The final 'th' is a voiceless dental fricative [θ], produced with the tongue tip against the upper teeth. Many speakers substitute 'th' with 'f' or 't,' which alters the word's integrity. Practice with deliberate tongue placement and a clean stop between syllables.
The presence of the 'psy' onset is a classic variant: the 'ps' cluster is uncommon at the start of English words and often mispronounced as 'sigh-ko-' or 'p-see.' The correct onset uses the 'ps' sequence where the 'p' is released but not heavily aspirated, followed by a light 's' sound before the 'y' vowel; this subtle onset shapes the word's overall rhythm and helps prevent a clipped or rushed finish on 'path.'
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