Hippocampus is a noun that refers to the part of the brain responsible for emotion and memory.
Our word of the day has its origin in Greek mythology. The word ‘hippo’ is derived from the Greek word for a sea creature. In time, this word was used to describe the section of the brain that governed emotion and memory because this section was curved like a seahorse. Here’s an example of hippocampus in use:
There’s something about that song that stimulates my hippocampus and nearly brings me to tears. After a few seconds, I’m launched back into memories of listening to it in seventh grade at the roller skating rink, experiencing the soul-crushing heartbreak of a 13-year old.
