© 2026 Sloth Lingo. Learn easy. Lounge wisely.

psychoneurotic

Upper-Intermediate (B2)

IPA: //ˌsaɪkəʊnʊˈrɒtɪk//

KK: /saɪkoʊnʊˈrɑtɪk/

noun
Definition

A person who experiences a mental disorder that involves emotional distress and anxiety, often linked to psychological factors rather than physical causes.


Example

The psychoneurotic often struggles with feelings of anxiety and depression.


Conversation
Sloth A
I read an article about a psychoneurotic who managed to overcome their challenges.
Sloth B
Really? That's inspiring!
Sloth A
Yeah, it made me think about how mental health affects so many people.
Sloth B
Absolutely, understanding it better can really help.

Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
neurotic
anxious
obsessive
Antonyms
stable
sane
calm
Root Explanation

Psychoneurotic → It is formed from "psycho-" (from Greek "psukhē", meaning soul or mind), "neuro-" (from Greek "neuron", meaning nerve), and "-tic" (a suffix used to form adjectives). The word describes a condition related to the mind and nerves, indicating a psychological disorder with neurotic features.

Memory Tip

Think of 'psycho-' relating to the 'mind' and 'neuro-' relating to 'nerves', combined with '-tic' to describe a condition. This helps you remember that 'psychoneurotic' refers to a mental state involving both psychological and nervous system aspects.

Visually Confused Words
aponeurotic
Is this page helpful?