headshrinker

noun

head·​shrink·​er ˈhed-ˌshriŋ-kər How to pronounce headshrinker (audio)
especially Southern -ˌsriŋ-
: shrink sense 3

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of headshrinker was in 1950

Rhymes for headshrinker

See All Rhymes for headshrinker

Browse Nearby Words

headshot
headshrinker
headsill
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Headshrinker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headshrinker. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

headshrinker

noun
head·​shrink·​er -ˌshriŋk-ər How to pronounce headshrinker (audio)
slang
: psychiatrist

Medical Definition

headshrinker

noun
head·​shrink·​er -ˌshriŋ-kər How to pronounce headshrinker (audio)
: shrink
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of acquisitive

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

More Commonly Mispronounced Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 3
See More

Popular

See More

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All