hippocampus

[ hip-uh-kam-puhs ]

noun

, plural hip·po·cam·pi [hip-, uh, -, kam, -pahy, -pee].

1. Classical Mythology. a fish-tailed horse of the sea that was ridden by the sea gods.
2. Anatomy. an enfolding of cerebral cortex into the lateral fissure of a cerebral hemisphere, having a major role in learning, emotion, and memory, and named for the seahorse shape of its cross section.

hippocampus

/ ˌhɪpəʊˈkæmpəs /

noun

1. a mythological sea creature with the forelegs of a horse and the tail of a fish
2. any marine teleost fish of the genus Hippocampus, having a horselike head See sea horse
3. an area of cerebral cortex that forms a ridge in the floor of the lateral ventricle of the brain, which in cross section has the shape of a sea horse. It functions as part of the limbic system

hippocampus

/ hĭp′ə-kăm′pəs /

, Plural hippocampi hĭp′ə-kăm′pī′

1. A convoluted, seahorse-shaped structure in the cerebral cortex of the temporal lobe of the brain, composed of two gyri with white matter above gray matter. It forms part of the limbic system and is involved in the processing of emotions and memory.

Derived Forms

• ˌhippoˈcampal, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hippocampus¹

First recorded in 1575–80; from Latin hippocampus, hippocampos, from Greek hippókampos, equivalent to hippo- hippo- + kámpos “sea monster”

Word History and Origins

Origin of hippocampus¹

C16: from Latin, from Greek hippos horse + kampos a sea monster

Example Sentences

His case helped link the hippocampus to brain function and memory formation.

From Science Daily

This finding aligned with the knowledge that sleep helps new experiences crystallize into stable memories, thus suggesting that the spatial representations of many of these specialized neurons in the hippocampus are stable during sleep.

From Science Daily

The hippocampus, a brain region important for forming memories linked to specific places and contexts, produces new neurons daily in an area called the dentate gyrus.

From Science Daily

Autoantibodies bind to the LGI1 protein throughout the brain, but are especially concentrated in the hippocampus and the temporal lobes, also vital for learning and memory formation.

From Science Magazine

While mixed selectivity has the backing of copious evidence -- it has been observed across the cortex and in other brain areas such as the hippocampus and amygdala -- there are still open questions.

From Science Daily