Psychometric

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌsaɪ.kəˈmɛt.ɹɪk/

Definitions

1. A discipline that evaluates cognitive and emotional traits through systematic testing methods
2. An area dedicated to quantifying mental capabilities and personal characteristics via structured assessments
3. Pertaining to the science and techniques used to assess intelligence, personality, and other psychological attributes through tests

Etymology: The most striking thing about "psychometric" is how little it hides: it is a plain compound built from two Greek elements. The first, "psycho-", comes from ancient Greek "psūkhē", meaning breath, life, or soul, and in the compound it shows up in its combining form "psūkho-". The second, "metric", comes from the Greek "metron", meaning measure. Put together, the word literally means something like "measuring the mind or soul." The sense is clear from the parts, and the word was made to fit a specific job: putting numbers on mental abilities and personal traits through structured tests. That is why the word sounds scientific. It describes a method of measurement rather than a quality a person has.

Synonyms: psychological, mental, cognitive

Antonyms: physical, physiological