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collective unconscious
noun
: the inherited part of the unconscious that especially in the psychoanalytic theory of Carl Gustav Jung occurs in and is shared by all the members of a people or race
Examples of collective unconscious in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Whatever dreams may have been swirling in electronic music’s collective unconscious on January 1, 2020, they were fated to die on the vine.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 11 Oct. 2024
Chalice of Blood evokes the horrors of religious war without coming close to reviving our collective unconscious.
—Armond White, National Review, 7 Aug. 2024
But Herry’s insight into France’s social instability reminds us of a nation’s psychic conflict — and that Boorman’s movie, signifying his interest in the collective unconscious, was based on a book titled Country of My Skull.
—Armond White, National Review, 2 Aug. 2024
At a time when conversations around self-discovery are surging, the analyst’s theories on the collective unconscious, archetypes and shadow are increasingly influencing the work of social media-savvy healers, therapists and life coaches.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 28 June 2024
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Word History
Etymology
translation of German kollektives Unbewusstes
First Known Use
1917, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of collective unconscious was
in 1917
Dictionary Entries Near collective unconscious
Cite this Entry
“Collective unconscious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collective%20unconscious. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Medical Definition
collective unconscious
noun
col·lec·tive unconscious
kə-ˈlek-tiv-
: the genetically determined part of the unconscious that especially in the psychoanalytic theory of C. G. Jung occurs in all the members of a people or race
More from Merriam-Webster on collective unconscious
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about collective unconscious
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