释义 |
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024ca•thex•is (kə thek′sis),USA pronunciation n., pl. -thex•es (-thek′sēz).USA pronunciation [Psychoanal.]- Psychologythe investment of emotional significance in an activity, object, or idea.
- Psychologythe charge of psychic energy so invested.
- Greek káthexis a keeping, equivalent. to kathek- (variant stem of katéchein to keep, hold on to, equivalent. to cat cat- + échein to have, hold) + -sis -sis, as translation of German Besetzung a taking possession of (Freud's term)
- Neo-Latin
- 1920–25;
ca•thec•tic (kə thek′tik),USA pronunciation adj. Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: cathexis /kəˈθɛksɪs/ n ( pl -thexes / -ˈθɛksiːz/)- concentration of psychic energy on a single goal
Etymology: 20th Century: from New Latin, from Greek kathexis, from katekhein to hold fast, intended to render German Besetzung a taking possession of |