Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Psychopath for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is "Psychopath" — noun, pronounced /ˈsaɪkəpæθ/, with the stress on "psy".
Narrator: A psychopath is a person with a personality disorder marked by persistent antisocial behaviour, impaired empathy and remorse, and bold or impulsive actions.
Narrator: In plain English, a psychopath is someone who cannot feel empathy or guilt and may act in cold, harmful ways without remorse.
Narrator: It comes from the Greek psyche, meaning soul or mind, and pathos, meaning suffering or disease.
Narrator: "A diagnosed psychopath" describes someone assessed by professionals as meeting the clinical criteria for psychopathy.
Narrator: It differs from psychotic because a psychopath is aware of reality, whereas a psychotic person has lost touch with reality.
Narrator: "Corporate psychopath" is a figurative sense meaning a ruthless business person who lacks empathy but functions normally.
Narrator: Psychiatry, criminology, psychology and forensic science all rely on the word psychopath.
Narrator: So remember: a psychopath is a person lacking empathy and remorse, from the Greek for soul and suffering.
Speaker A: Is psychopath the same as crazy?
Speaker B: Not at all! PSYCHOPATH comes from the Greek psyche, soul, and pathos, suffering, so it's a specific personality disorder, not a slang term for madness.
Speaker A: So they know what they're doing?
Speaker B: Exactly — they're in touch with reality but lack empathy!
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: "The film featured a psychopath"; "the study examined psychopaths"; "he showed psychopathic traits" — a character, a study and a pattern.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: Don't use psychopath as an insult for anyone violent, because psychopath is a clinical term for a specific personality disorder, not a general word for a criminal.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: "Sociopath" the similar cousin, "antisocial" the descriptive twin, "psychotic" the contrasting alternative. The word keeps its chilling charm!
Speaker B: Let's use "psychopath" in AI prompts — useful for crime-fiction generators and psychology-education tools.
Speaker A: So a prompt could frame a character?
Speaker B: Right. For a writing app, you'd write:
Prompt: Write a short character sketch of a corporate psychopath in a thriller, naming two manipulative tactics.
Speaker A: How about an education tool?
Speaker B: Ask the model to explain:
Prompt: Draft a short explainer distinguishing a psychopath from a psychotic person, naming one key difference.
Speaker A: Could it help with a criminology bot?
Speaker B: Yes, you can frame a profile:
Prompt: Summarise in two sentences how forensic psychologists assess psychopathic traits, naming one checklist.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: For a film-review chatbot, try this:
Prompt: Write a short analysis of why film psychopaths fascinate audiences, naming one classic example.
Psychopath — meaning in Arabic & definition More P courses GL Dictionary