hippocampus

noun

hip·​po·​cam·​pus ˌhi-pə-ˈkam-pəs 

plural hippocampi ˌhi-pə-ˈkam-ˌpī 

-(ˌ)pē

: a curved elongated ridge that extends over the floor of the descending horn of each lateral ventricle of the brain, that consists of gray matter covered on the ventricular surface with white matter, and that is involved in forming, storing, and processing memory

hippocampal

ˌhi-pə-ˈkam-pəl 

adjective

Examples of hippocampus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Share [Findings] Scientists trained subjects to exercise control over a single neuron, linked the hippocampus to regret, and concluded that humans smell in stereo. —Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024

Alcohol affects the hippocampus, which helps create new memories, in your brain. —Amanda MacMillan, Health, 26 Mar. 2024

This was especially evident in the hippocampus, a part of the brain long understood to be critical for memory and learning. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

As a rat navigated a maze during its waking hours, patterns of activity among neurons in its hippocampus specified the rat's whereabouts on its trek. —Ingrid Wickelgren, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2024

The hippocampus is near and tightly connected to the amygdala. —Arash Javanbakht, Discover Magazine, 7 Sep. 2023

The hypothalamus experienced the highest transduction efficiency and the hippocampus the least. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024

The scientists disconnected the treadmill and instead based each rat’s location within the virtual world on the signals from its hippocampus. —Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 2 Nov. 2023

Last October, the team demonstrated that the technique, when targeted on the hippocampus, could improve people’s ability to pair faces and names, although the questions of how and why the stimulation works remain unclear. —Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek hippokampos seahorse, from hippos horse + kampos sea monster — more at equine

First Known Use

1695, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

hippocampus

noun

hip·​po·​cam·​pus ˌhip-ə-ˈkam-pəs 

plural hippocampi -ˌpī  -(ˌ)pē 

: a curved elongated ridge that is an important part of the limbic system, extends over the floor of the descending horn of each lateral ventricle of the brain, consists of gray matter covered on the ventricular surface with white matter, and is involved in forming, storing, and processing memory see pes hippocampi