PsychologyAugust 8, 2026

daimonic

dy-MON-ik

Definition

Referring to an inner, often overwhelming, force or potential that represents the totality of human experience, including both creative and destructive impulses.

Etymology

Derived from the Ancient Greek word 'daimon,' originally meaning a divine power or guiding spirit, which evolved to describe an inner force influencing human character or fate.

In the news

In the context of clinical wisdom, the term describes the raw, instinctual human energies that therapists must acknowledge rather than suppress to facilitate true healing. It represents the inherent complexity of the human psyche that cannot be fully explained by purely rational or diagnostic frameworks.

Clinical Wisdom: Why Myths Still Matter

Read the full article ↗

Psychology Today

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.