Informal or slang term for a psychopath or someone acting in a mentally unstable or dangerous way (often offensive).
A shortened form of 'psychopath,' from Greek 'psyche' meaning 'mind' and 'pathos' meaning 'suffering' or 'disease.' Became popular slang in the 1960s, especially after the film 'Psycho.'
The 1960 film 'Psycho' made 'psycho' a household slang term, but psychologists say the word conflates multiple distinct conditions and contributes to stigma around mental illness. It's a perfect example of how one popular movie can permanently warp how we use a word.
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