PsychologySeptember 2, 2026

lacuna

luh-KYOO-nuh

Definition

An empty space, missing portion, or gap in knowledge, evidence, or a written record.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin word for a 'pool, pit, or cavity' (lacuna). It entered English in the 17th century to describe missing parts in manuscripts and evolved to refer to any significant gap or deficiency.

In the news

Gail Hornstein uses the term to describe a glaring gap in the history of psychiatry, where intensive psychotherapy for psychotic patients was inexplicably ignored by historians.

First-Person Knowledge and the Meanings of Madness: An Interview with Gail Hornstein

Read the full article ↗

Mad In America

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