Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for amnesia

amnesia

[ am-nee-zhuh ]

noun

  1. loss of a large block of interrelated memories; complete or partial loss of memory caused by brain injury, shock, etc.


amnesia

/ -zɪk; æmˈniːzjə; -ʒjə; æmˈniːsɪk; æmˈniːzɪˌæk; -zɪə /

noun

  1. a defect in memory, esp one resulting from pathological cause, such as brain damage or hysteria


amnesia

/ ăm-nēzhə /

  1. Partial or total loss of memory, usually caused by brain injury or shock.


amnesia

  1. A loss of memory, especially one brought on by some distressing or shocking experience.


Discover More

Notes

A common variant is selective amnesia; the term is applied to public officials who, when questioned about alleged wrongdoing, profess that they cannot remember.

Discover More

Derived Forms

  • amnesiac, adjectivenoun

Discover More

Other Words From

  • am·nes·tic [am-, nes, -tik], adjective

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of amnesia1

1780–90; < New Latin < Greek amnēsía, variant of amnēstía oblivion; perhaps learnedly formed from mnē-, stem of mimnḗskesthai to remember ( mnemonic ) + -s- + -ia -ia. See amnesty

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of amnesia1

C19: via New Latin from Greek: forgetfulness, probably from amnēstia oblivion; see amnesty

Discover More

Example Sentences

Mice injected with a cocktail of protein inhibitors develop amnesia, likely forgetting information because their synapses wither away.

We cannot know whether the movies will survive the pandemic, streaming and cultural amnesia.

Though suffering from amnesia, he turns out to be unflappably polite, irresistibly charming and quite frisky with the nurses.

Compounding the puzzle, as Bauer writes, is the fact that “within the period eventually obscured by childhood amnesia, children had remarkably rich autobiographies.”

The precise age when the veil of infantile amnesia descends is a subject of ongoing debate, in part because only limited studies have been done involving children.

Liberals are outraged over the Steven Scalise scandal—but the left has selective amnesia.

What are the real life consequences of our collective amnesia?

“I invented everything—amnesia, pain, hemorrhoids,” he told La Stampa.

But there is more to this behaviour than intentional amnesia.

The first is what Scottish historian Tom Devine calls “imperial amnesia.”

The one form of memory disturbance is called "Word Amnesia;" the other is called "Apraxia."

Asked her friend abruptly, "Have you ever seen a case of amnesia?"

For instance, I could have amnesia so that I could see you, but there wouldn't be any me.

The temporary amnesia slipped aside and the veil began to rise.

When you cracked up, a blow on the head, or something, must have created a temporary amnesia and you thought you were Danson.

Advertisement

Word of the Day

petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


Amne Machin Shanamnesiac