photographic memory

American  

[foh-tuh-graf-ik mem-ree, mem-uh-ree] / ˈfoʊ təˌgræf ɪk ˈmɛm ri, ˈmɛm ə ri /

noun

plural

photographic memories

1. the exceptional ability to recall information with very high accuracy or vivid detail, especially visual or spatial details.

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Other Word Forms

• photographic-memory adjective

Example Sentences

Her other superpower, coupled with this sheer speed, was what former employees describe as the aural equivalent of a photographic memory.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

Leon tells me he has a kind of photographic memory when it comes to his creative decisions.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 21, 2024

It was spotted by Dr Gradel, who says he was born with a photographic memory.

From BBC • May 27, 2024

The boy with a photographic memory and a penchant for detailed drawing became fascinated with identifying trees during a winter scouting excursion in the 1960s.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 1, 2023

She attended school for only three years, from ages eight to eleven, but she was said to have a photographic memory and a great deal of innate intelligence.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling