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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 See all Example Sentences for collective unconscious 

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- How to pronounce collective unconscious (audio)
: 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!