Alienist

Alienist is an outdated term that was used in the 19th and early 20th centuries to describe mental health professionals such as psychologists and psychiatrists. It is still sometimes used to describe a mental health professional who examines and evaluates individuals involved in criminal proceedings to determine if they are competent enough to go to trial. The term comes from the word 'alien' which means foreign or different - an 'alienist' therefore studies that which is different from the normal range of mentality.