alienist

noun

alien·​ist ˈā-lē-ə-nist 

ˈāl-yə-

plural alienists

dated

: psychiatrist

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What is the Connection Between alienist and Alien?

Alienist looks and sounds like it should mean "someone who studies aliens," and in fact alienist and alien are related—both are ultimately derived from the Latin word alius, meaning "other." In the case of alienist, the etymological trail leads from Latin to the French noun aliéniste, which refers to a doctor who treats the mentally ill. Alienist first appeared in print in English about mid-19th century. It was preceded by the other alius descendants, alien (14th century) and alienate (used as a verb since the 15th century). Alienist is much rarer than psychiatrist these days, but at one time it was a common term.

Examples of alienist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An alienist said that in dress and gestures, modern women were bringing out the beast in some men. —Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 2 June 2024

The most expensive show produced by TNT is based on Caleb Carr’s best-selling 1994 historical thriller about a psychiatrist (or alienist, as they were once called) in Gilded Age New York who tries to catch a serial killer. —Gabe Cohn, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2018

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French aliéniste, earlier as adjective in médecin aliéniste "doctor treating the mentally ill, psychiatrist," from aliéné "mentally ill person" (noun derivative from past participle of aliéner "to transfer to another's ownership, estrange, deprive of reason," going back to Middle French) + -iste -ist entry 2 — more at alien entry 3

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

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Medical Definition

alienist

noun

alien·​ist ˈā-lē-ə-nəst, ˈāl-yə- 

dated

: psychiatrist

Legal Definition

alienist

noun

alien·​ist ˈā-lē-ə-nist, ˈāl-yə- 

: a psychiatrist who specializes in the legal aspects of psychiatry (as determining sanity or capacity to stand trial)