amnesia
am-NEE-zhuh
/æmˈniːziə/
A partial or total loss of memory caused by brain injury, illness, or psychological trauma.
Refers specifically to a pathological loss of memory rather than ordinary, everyday forgetting.
The story behind the word. The ancient Greeks created 'amnesia' by combining 'a-' (without) with 'mnēsis' (memory), derived from Mnemosyne, goddess of memory. The term entered English medical literature in the 18th century to describe severe pathological loss of personal history.
Word relationships
- memory loss: Memory loss is a general descriptive phrase, whereas amnesia is a formal medical term.
- recollection: Recollection is the active ability to remember past events.
Commonly confused with
- dementia: Amnesia specifically targets memory loss, whereas dementia involves broad cognitive decline including reasoning, language, and judgement.
Word family
- amnesiac (noun): A person suffering from memory loss
Collocations
- retrograde amnesia
- anterograde amnesia
- profound amnesia
- transient global amnesia
Example sentences
- "Following the traumatic head injury, the patient developed retrograde amnesia, forgetting events from the weeks leading up to the accident." Clinical case study
- "Anterograde amnesia prevents individuals from forming new long-term memories after the onset of brain damage." Psychological neurology
Memory hook
Think of 'A-Missing-Memory' — A-MNESIA leaves your past completely blank. A-mnēsis: without memory.
When not to use
Do not use to describe simple absentmindedness or briefly forgetting where you placed your keys.
Fun facts
- In movies, amnesia often alters personality, but in clinical reality, procedural memories like swimming or playing piano usually remain completely intact.
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