What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Sicko vs Psycho - What's the difference?

sicko | psycho |

As nouns the difference between sicko and psycho

is that sicko is a day taken off work due to (possibly exaggerated or supposed) illness while psycho is a person who is psychotic or otherwise insane.

As an adjective psycho is

psychotic, or otherwise insane.

sicko

English

Noun

(en-noun)
  • (Australia, slang) A day taken off work due to (possibly exaggerated or supposed) illness.
  • (derogatory, slang) A person with unpleasant tastes, views or habits.
  • * 1986 June 9, David Denby, Movies: Poison'', '' , page 130,
    • But in fact, the murders have been committed by an army of sickos , a phalanx of wild-eyed droolers led by a monster goon with a concrete jaw and a Neanderthal brow.
  • * 1997 , Shannon Bell, Chapter 5: On ne peut pas voir l?image [The image cannot be seen]'', Brenda Cossman, Shannon Bell, Lise Gotell, Becki L. Ross, ''Bad Attitude/s on Trial: Pornography, Feminism, and the Butler Decision , page 231,
    • We can?t say that it is our responses of horror and revulsion that are upsetting to the youth; therefore, those attracted to them are deviants, sickos , who should be cured/punished like the homosexuals of the forties and fifties.
  • * 2009 , Stuart E. Weisberg, Barney Frank: The Story of America?s Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman , page 372,
    • The conservative Boston Herald , which had earlier described the revelations about Barney?s two-year relationship with a male prostitute as “one of the most tawdry episodes in modern Massachusetts politics” and had run a story by the columnist Howie Carr calling Frank “a sicko who happens to be a pol,” urged him to resign his house seat.
  • (US, Canada, slang) A mentally ill person.

    • Usage notes

    The plural form sickoes is somewhat rare.

    Synonyms

    * (day taken off work due to illness) sick day, sickie (slang) * (sense) weirdo

    psycho

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (colloquial, or, pejorative) Psychotic, or otherwise insane.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (pejorative, slang) A person who is psychotic or otherwise insane.
    • The loony bin up on the hill is full of psychos .
  • (pejorative, slang) A person who acts in a bizarre or dangerous manner.
    • She complained that he was a psycho for driving at such a high speed in heavy traffic.
  • (informal) A class, at a college or university, in which psychology is taught.
    • "I've got anthro, socio, lunch, and psycho."

    Synonyms

    * (pejorative for a pyschotic or otherwise insane person) freak, loony, nutcase, wacko * (pejorative for a person acting in a bizarre or dangerous manner) creep, freak, loose cannon, weirdo