Mnemes
/ˈniːmiːz/noun
Plural of mneme, a unit or trace of memory, especially in biological or psychological theory.
Did you know?The term was revived in modern science by German biologist Richard Semon, who imagined memory as a physical trace left by experience—an idea resembling the ancient Greek view of memory as an active power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*men-
“To think, remember, or have the mind directed toward something”
Ancient Greek
Greek
mnḗmē (μνήμη)
“Memory or remembrance”
Ancient Greek
Greek
mnḗmōn (μνήμων)
“Mindful, remembering, or one who remembers”
1904
German
Mneme
“Richard Semon’s term for the principle or physical trace of memory”
20th Century
English
mneme
“A memory unit or enduring memory trace in psychology and biology”
Modern English
English
mnemes
“Plural of mneme: multiple memory units or traces”