Late 16th century; earliest use found in Philip Sidney (1554–1586), author and courtier. From Middle French, French psychogonie from post-classical Latin psychogonia generation of the soul, especially with reference to Plato's Timaeus from Hellenistic Greek ψυχογονία generation of the soul, especially with reference to Plato's Timaeus (in Plutarch and other authors) from ancient Greek ψυχο- + -γονία. With later use compare psychogenesis, psychogeny.