CultureJuly 17, 2026

psychodrama

SY-ko-drah-muh

Definition

A form of drama or theatrical performance that focuses on the internal psychological struggles, unconscious conflicts, and emotional states of the characters.

Etymology

The word is a compound of the Greek 'psyche' (soul or mind) and 'drama' (action or deed), first coined in the early 20th century to describe both a therapeutic method and a theatrical genre.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe Peter Shaffer’s play Equus, highlighting its intense focus on the mental breakdown and internal torment of its characters.

The Ten

Read the full article ↗

Monocle

Related words

Learn words like this every day

Meet new words every morning.

Newspoken pulls carefully chosen words from the day’s news — with clear definitions, context, and light review that makes them stick. Get it on your phone.