engram

noun

en·​gram ˈen-ˌgram How to pronounce engram (audio)
variants or less commonly engramme
: a hypothetical change in neural tissue postulated in order to account for persistence of memory : memory trace

Examples of engram in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web No More Umbral Engrams – These are being changed into seasonal engrams that will not clutter up your inventory, and there will be less seasonal currencies overall to grind for. Paul Tassi, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2023 When memories are acquired (upper left), traces of the memory are stored by molecular changes in networks of cells, forming an engram. Tom Siegfried, Discover Magazine, 18 Feb. 2019 Scientists use the term engram to describe the physical process the brain uses for holding a specific memory. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 6 May 2022 Optogenetic stimulation of a hippocampal engram activates fear memory recall. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 23 Mar. 2012 The physical location of a memory in the brain is often called an ‘engram’ or ‘memory trace’. Caitlin Aamodt, Discover Magazine, 16 Feb. 2017 In some cases, forgetting may simply reflect an inability to recall a memory trace even if the engram encoding it remains intact. Tom Siegfried, Discover Magazine, 18 Feb. 2019 That’s an engram every 3-6 games or so, depending on your rank. Paul Tassi, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2021 Over the last decade or so, several groups conducting engram research have begun to suspect that structural changes in the chromatin prime the cell to make and preserve memories. Quanta Magazine, 2 Nov. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'engram.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of engram was in 1908

Dictionary Entries Near engram

Cite this Entry

“Engram.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/engram. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

engram

noun
en·​gram
variants also engramme
: a hypothetical change in neural tissue postulated in order to account for persistence of memory : memory trace
engrammic adjective
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