amnesia

American  

[am-nee-zhuh] / æmˈni ʒə /

noun

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

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amnesia British  

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

noun

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

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amnesia Scientific  

/ ăm-nē′zhə /

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

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amnesia Cultural  

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

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Discover More

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

Other Word Forms

• amnesiac adjective
• amnestic adjective

Etymology

Origin of amnesia

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

Example Sentences

After a visit with a neurologist, the actor said he learned he had a condition called transient global amnesia.

From Los Angeles Times

By now the historical amnesia is almost total.

From Los Angeles Times

The task now is endurance: Organizing, documenting, refusing amnesia.

From Salon

The imminent end of the longest U.S. shutdown in history has caused the biggest bout of amnesia in stock market history.

From Barron's

The imminent end of the longest U.S. shutdown in history has caused the biggest bout of amnesia in stock market history.

From Barron's