Hyperthymesia

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌhaɪ.pə.θaɪˈmiː.zi.ə/

Definitions

1. A rare neurological condition that allows someone to retain detailed and vivid memories of their personal experiences over time
2. An exceptional cognitive ability in which individuals can access and recall an extensive array of life events with remarkable clarity
3. A distinctive cognitive phenomenon characterized by the remarkable ability to remember an extensive range of personal experiences vividly and in great detail across time

Etymology: Hyperthymesia was coined as a medical term from Greek and Latin parts, not borrowed from an ancient text. Its first element, "hyper-", is the Greek prefix meaning "over, beyond, or excessive," so the word literally describes memory beyond the ordinary. The second element comes from Greek "thýmisi," meaning "memory," and the ending "-ia" is the suffix classical scientists used to name conditions, as in "anemia" or "amnesia." The result is a word that sounds ancient but describes a condition identified only in modern times. Doctors needed a name for people who recall their own lives in unusual detail, and they built one from classical building blocks, following the same pattern used for countless other diagnoses. The combination of an old Greek memory root with a disease suffix gives the term its clinical feel.