Amnesia Meaning and Definition

Pronunciation

/əmˈniːziə/ 🔊

Part of Speech

Noun

Definition

A condition in which a person cannot remember certain events, relationships, or information without difficulty, often caused by trauma, injury, or certain medical conditions.

Examples

• The patient suffered from amnesia after the accident.
• She couldn’t recall her childhood after developing amnesia.

Synonyms

• Forgetfulness
• Memory loss

Antonyms

• Memory retention
• Retentive memory

Additional Information

Amnesia is a common symptom of various conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and head trauma. It can be short-term, lasting only a few hours or days, or long-term, persisting for months or years. Treatment for amnesia often involves memory therapy and lifestyle changes.

There are different types of amnesia, including retrograde amnesia, where memories are lost from the past, and anterograde amnesia, where the individual is unable to form new memories.

Etymology

The word “amnesia” comes from the Greek words “a-” meaning “without” and “mnestis” meaning “memory”, literally translating to “without memory”.

Usage Notes

Amnesia is often used to describe a specific condition or phenomenon, but it can also be used more broadly to describe the general feeling of not being able to remember something.

Cultural References

Amnesia has been featured in various forms of media, including films, television shows, and literature. One example is the film “The Bourne Identity” (2002), where the main character suffers from amnesia and tries to remember his past.

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

Forget what I came here for, a common idiomatic expression that jokingly describes being in a state of amnesia.

Related Words or Phrases

• Memory
• Forgetfulness
• Forgotten

Collocations

• Amnesia after a head injury
• Suffering from amnesia
• Forgetful due to amnesia

Frequency of Use

Amnesia is a relatively rare condition, but its frequency of use in everyday language is more common than its prevalence as a medical condition.

Common Misspellings

• Amenia
• Amnesa
• Memory loss