semantic memory
suh-MAN-tik MEM-oh-ree
səˈmæntɪk ˈmɛməriːListen
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Syllable breakdown
Dictionary meaning
a type of declarative long-term memory that stores general factual knowledge about the world, independent of personal experience or context; includes knowledge of words, concepts, and their meanings; contrasted with episodic memory; can remain relatively intact in Alzheimer's disease even as episodic memory deteriorates; associated with temporal and parietal cortices
Examples
- Knowing that Paris is the capital of France is stored in semantic memory.
- Semantic memory allows us to use language without remembering when we learned each word.
Synonyms: factual memory, declarative knowledge
Pronunciation tips
Semantic means 'relating to meaning' (from Greek sēmantikos). Do not confuse with 'semantic' in linguistics — though the concept of meaning is shared.
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