Word
psychopathic
Phoneticspsy·cho·path·ic
US/ˌsaɪkəˈpæθɪk/
UK/sˌaɪkəʊpˈæθɪk/
Definition
adj. describing someone who lacks normal feelings like guilt or empathy. It is often used to describe people who act in a way that is very cruel or dangerous.
adj. characterised by a lack of normal emotional development or a complete absence of conscience. Often used to describe individuals who exhibit antisocial or predatory behaviour.
Examples
“The movie features a psychopathic killer who shows no remorse.”
“The psychologist noted that the patient exhibited psychopathic traits, such as a lack of empathy and a tendency to manipulate others for personal gain.”
“While the term is frequently used in popular media to describe any violent criminal, clinical psychologists distinguish between a psychopathic personality and a person with a temporary mental breakdown.”
Examples
simple
“The movie features a psychopathic killer who shows no remorse.”
contextual
“The psychologist noted that the patient exhibited psychopathic traits, such as a lack of empathy and a tendency to manipulate others for personal gain.”
complex
“While the term is frequently used in popular media to describe any violent criminal, clinical psychologists distinguish between a psychopathic personality and a person with a temporary mental breakdown.”
Etymology
From psycho- + -pathic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
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englishreference.com/q/psychopathic