Word
psychedelic
Phoneticspsy·che·del·ic, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌsaɪkəˈdɛɫɪk/
UK/sˌaɪkɪdˈɛlɪk/
Definitions
01mind-altering
C1 · Advanced Medicine Technical
adj. describing drugs or experiences that change how you see, hear, and feel reality.
adj. relating to or denoting drugs that produce hallucinations and apparent expansion of consciousness.
“The scientist studied the psychedelic effects of certain mushrooms on the brain.”
“Research into psychedelic compounds has seen a resurgence as clinicians explore their potential for treating treatment-resistant depression and anxiety.”
Synonyms
02visual style
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. having bright colors, strange patterns, and abstract shapes like those in 1960s art.
adj. characterized by bold colors and distorted or abstract patterns reminiscent of drug-induced hallucinations.
“The band played in front of a psychedelic background of swirling purple and green lights.”
“The graphic designer utilized a psychedelic palette to evoke the counterculture aesthetic of the late 1960s for the festival poster.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03a substance
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Medicine Technical
n. a drug that causes hallucinations and changes how you think.
n. a psychoactive substance, such as LSD or psilocybin, that produces distortions of perception and altered awareness.
“He spoke about his experiences taking psychedelics during his youth.”
“The legal status of various psychedelics is currently being debated in several jurisdictions following promising results in clinical trials.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Participants also showed brain connectivity patterns resembling those associated with psychedelic experiences, suggesting that powerful altered states may be achievable without drugs.” “Psychedelics, the study hints, could offer a new option for addressing one of psychiatry’s most difficult-to-treat conditions.” Etymology
From Ancient Greek ψυχή (psukhḗ, “mind, soul”) + δῆλος (dêlos, “manifest, visible”) + English -ic (prefix forming adjectives with the sense ‘of or pertaining to’), coined by the English psychiatrist Humphry Osmond (1917–2004) in a 1956 letter to Aldous Huxley.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/psychedelic