What does "hippocampus" mean?
A mythological creature with the front head and forelimbs of a horse and the rear of a fish.
Hippocampus
noun
noun ·4 syllables ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A mythological creature with the front head and forelimbs of a horse and the rear of a fish.
- Grammar: hippocampus is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: cerebellum, cerebral cortex, cerebrum, convolution.
- Usage evidence: "We found that physical activity has the potential to preserve the volume of the hippocampus in those with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease, which means we can possibly delay cognitive decline and the onset of dementia symptoms in these individuals," he said.
How to use "hippocampus"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "hippocampus" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
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Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "hippocampus" in a final draft.
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Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "hippocampus" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 A mythological creature with the front head and forelimbs of a horse and the rear of a fish.
- 2 a complex neural structure (shaped like a sea horse) consisting of grey matter and located on the floor of each lateral ventricle; intimately involved in motivation and emotion as part of the limbic system; has a central role in the formation of memories wordnet
- 3 A part of the brain located inside the temporal lobe, consisting mainly of grey matter. It is a component of the limbic system and plays a role in memory and emotion.
"Holonyms: limbic system < brain < central nervous system, CNS"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
""We found that physical activity has the potential to preserve the volume of the hippocampus in those with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease, which means we can possibly delay cognitive decline and the onset of dementia symptoms in these individuals," he said."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "hippocampus"?
Common synonyms include: cerebellum, cerebral cortex, cerebrum, convolution, dragon, fish.
How do you use "hippocampus" in a sentence?
"We found that physical activity has the potential to preserve the volume of the hippocampus in those with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease, which means we can possibly delay cognitive decline and the onset of dementia symptoms in these individuals," he said.
Etymology
From Late Latin hippocampus, from Ancient Greek ἱππόκαμπος (hippókampos, from ῐ̔́ππος (hĭ́ppos, “horse”) + κάμπος (kámpos, “sea-monster”)). The anatomy sense is so named from its resemblance to the seahorse. By surface analysis, hippo- + campus.