engram

American  

[en-gram] / ˈɛn græm /

noun

1. a presumed encoding in neural tissue that provides a physical basis for the persistence of memory; a memory trace.

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engram British  

/ ˈɛnɡræm /

noun

1. psychol the physical basis of an individual memory in the brain See also memory trace

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Other Word Forms

• engrammic adjective

Etymology

Origin of engram

First recorded in 1905–10; en- ² + -gram ¹

Example Sentences

The conceptual content of an engram is an ideal abstract object characterized with regard to multiple features.

From Science Daily • Oct. 8, 2025

In the minutes and hours that immediately follow an experience, he explains, the brain needs to consolidate the engram to store it.

From Science Daily • Jan. 19, 2024

Now that more is known about how engrams work to form and stabilize memories, researchers can examine which genes are changing in the animal model when the engram population decreases.

From Science Daily • Jan. 19, 2024

In other words, you need activity in engram cells for forgetting to occur.

From Scientific American • Sep. 15, 2023

Some new stimulation may thus ecphorate an old engram.

From Sex Avoided subjects Discussed in Plain English by Stanton, Henry