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Definition of "psychosomatic" [psychosomatic]

  • Of or relating to a disorder having physical symptoms but originating from mental or emotional causes. (adjective)
  • Relating to or concerned with the influence of the mind on the body, and the body on the mind, especially with respect to disease: psychosomatic medicine. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "psychosomatic" in a sentence
  • "The term psychosomatic was coined in 1860 to define a disorder having physical symptoms, but originating from mental or emotional causes."
  • "That which medicine can't explain we tend to label psychosomatic and blame the patient, a cruel phenomenon all too familiar to those who've had MS, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus, and a myriad of other ailments in decades past."
  • "I genuinely believe that if all Americans turned off tehir televisions and were not exposed to the advertizing for six months, there would be less reported illness in this country … I think a lot of the illnesses we have are psychosomatic from the barrage of ads …"