Preconscious

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A level of mental functioning that bridges between consciousness and unconsciousness, containing accessible yet unexamined thoughts and feelings
2. A state of awareness that occurs just below the surface of consciousness, encompassing thoughts and memories that can be brought to mind but are not currently in focus
3. The mental realm that lies between conscious awareness and the unconscious, filled with latent thoughts and feelings that can be summoned at will

Etymology: The idea behind "preconscious" is older than the word. Psychologists needed a label for mental material that is not in focus but can be recalled at will, a middle ground between what we are actively aware of and what lies beyond reach. The adjective is built plainly from "pre-", meaning "before" or "in advance of", and "conscious", so the name itself says what it is: the state that comes just before full awareness. The prefix has a long pedigree. It descends from Latin "prae", meaning "before", which passed into Middle English as "pre-" and was combined freely with English words. "Conscious" comes from Latin "conscius", "knowing with others" or "sharing knowledge", and entered English as a word for being aware of something. Joining the two produced a term that describes awareness held in reserve rather than in view.