A slip of the tongue that is motivated by and reveals some unconscious aspect of the mind.

Etymology

A theory, also called “parapraxis,” developed by famed psychologist Sigmund Freud in 1901.

Example from 1991 Senator Ted Kennedy: “Our national interest ought to be to encourage the breast ….. the best and the brightest.”

Another example from 1988 President George H. W. Bush” “We’ve had triumphs. Made some mistakes. We’ve had some sex… uh… setbacks.”

Example from 1991 Senator Ted Kennedy: “Our national interest ought to be to encourage the breast ….. the best and the brightest.”

Another example from 1988 President George H. W. Bush” “We’ve had triumphs. Made some mistakes. We’ve had some sex… uh… setbacks.”

A quote from Freud himself:

In the same way that psycho-analysis makes use of dream interpretation, it also profits by the study of the numerous little slips and mistakes which people make—symptomatic actions, as they are called […] I have pointed out that these phenomena are not accidental, that they require more than physiological explanations, they have a meaning and can be interpreted, and that one is justified in inferring from them the presence of restrained or repressed impulses and intentions. [Freud, An Autobiographical Study (1925)].

In a Sentence

I assure you Senator Kennedy was not talking about “breasts” in his speech; that was just a Freudian slip.

Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to come out that way; it was a Freudian slip.

Even though politicians practice their speeches repeatedly, they never know if a Freudian slip will make for an interesting sound bite.