anamnesis

noun

an·​am·​ne·​sis ˌa-ˌnam-ˈnē-səs 

plural anamneses ˌa-ˌnam-ˈnē-ˌsēz 

1

: a recalling to mind : reminiscence

2

: a preliminary case history of a medical or psychiatric patient

Synonyms

• memory
• recall
• recollection
• remembrance
• reminiscence

Examples of anamnesis in a Sentence

an extended, highly fruitful anamnesis that was triggered by the simple act of biting into a madeleine

Recent Examples on the Web

The white horse and classic car tricked out with chandeliers are obviously fantastic; more coded are the homages to the 2000s, which the twenty-somethings involved seem to have anamnesis for. —Vogue, 8 Apr. 2022

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek anamnēsis, from anamimnēskesthai to remember, from ana- + mimnēskesthai to remember — more at mind

First Known Use

circa 1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

anamnesis

noun

an·​am·​ne·​sis ˌan-ˌam-ˈnē-səs 

plural anamneses -ˌsēz 

1

: a recalling to mind

2

: a preliminary case history of a medical or psychiatric patient