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rapid eye movement
noun
: a rapid conjugate movement of the eyes associated especially with REM sleep
Examples of rapid eye movement in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Most dreams — especially vivid ones — occur during REM sleep, a phase characterized by rapid eye movement and high brain activity.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 6 Sep. 2023
During a rapid eye movement, there are gaps in the visual information our eyes receive.
—Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 7 Dec. 2023
The device detected when the participants entered rapid eye movement (REM) sleep (so named because the eyes dart from side to side during this phase), when people experience their most vivid dreams.
—Ingrid Wickelgren, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2024
For example, terrestrial vertebrates, and possibly even spiders, experience REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.
—Discover Magazine, 13 Jan. 2024
Enlarge Imagen Rafael Cosme Daza Most creatures sleep, but until now, REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the phase of sleep in which dreams occur, was thought to be exclusive to vertebrates.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 6 July 2023
One cycle comprises of non-REM phases (which encompass drifting off to deep sleep) followed by the REM, or rapid eye movement, phase.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023
During a typical night, a person goes through four stages of sleep: stage 1 (initially falling asleep), stage 2 (light sleep), stage 3 (deep sleep, or slow-wave sleep), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, when the brain is particularly active.
—Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 7 Nov. 2023
The Department of Defense wants to see if anyone out there can control rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
—Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 14 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rapid eye movement.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1900, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of rapid eye movement was
in 1900
Dictionary Entries Near rapid eye movement
Cite this Entry
“Rapid eye movement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rapid%20eye%20movement. Accessed 31 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
rapid eye movement
noun
: rapid movement of the eyes which occurs during the dreaming period of sleep
Medical Definition
rapid eye movement
noun
rap·id eye movement
ˈrap-əd-
: a rapid conjugate movement of the eyes associated especially with REM sleep
called also REM
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