Navigation
Home
Resources
Irregular verbs quizzes English conjugator English-French dictionary French dictionary English dictionary Monolingual dictionaries Scores by institution Free sample tests FAQ Pricing Tourism training Blog Videos
Login Sign up
Blog
Videos
Pricing
FR EN

subliminal

adj, noun — 7 senses

subliminal

adj

UK [ˌsʌbˈlɪm.ɪ.nl̩] · US /səˈblɪm.ɪ.nəl/

Etymology

PIE word *upó The adjective is derived from sub- (prefix meaning ‘beneath, under’) + liminal (“of or pertaining to an entrance or threshold”) (from Latin līminālis, from līmen (“doorstep, threshold; doorway, entrance; beginning, commencement”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *Heh₃l- (“to bend, bow; elbow”)) + *-mn̥ (suffix forming action nouns or result nouns from verbs)) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship from nouns)). The English word is borrowed from German subliminal, or a calque of German unterschwellig (“subliminal”, literally “beneath the threshold”). The noun is derived from the adjective.

1

Medicine, Physiology, Sciences Of a stimulus: below the limen or threshold of conscious perception, especially if still able to produce a response; also (generally), below the threshold where a response can be produced.

2

Human sciences, Psychology, Sciences Without directed awareness or thought; subconscious (dated), unconscious.

3

Broadly Of an advertisement, a message, etc.: conveyed in a manner that a person is unaware of being influenced by it.

Derived terms
limen, liminality, liminary, liminoid, sublime, subliminality, subliminalize, subliminally

subliminal

noun
Etymology

PIE word *upó The adjective is derived from sub- (prefix meaning ‘beneath, under’) + liminal (“of or pertaining to an entrance or threshold”) (from Latin līminālis, from līmen (“doorstep, threshold; doorway, entrance; beginning, commencement”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *Heh₃l- (“to bend, bow; elbow”)) + *-mn̥ (suffix forming action nouns or result nouns from verbs)) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship from nouns)). The English word is borrowed from German subliminal, or a calque of German unterschwellig (“subliminal”, literally “beneath the threshold”). The noun is derived from the adjective.

1

Medicine, Physiology, Sciences Chiefly preceded by the: something which is below the limen or threshold of conscious perception.

2

Human sciences, Psychology, Sciences Chiefly preceded by the: the subconscious (dated) or unconscious self.

3

Broadly An advertisement, a message, etc., which is conveyed in a manner that a person is unaware of being influenced by it.

4

Internet An audio or video recording, often consisting of ambient music or white noise with hidden affirmations, intended to produce physical or psychological changes in the listener through repetition.

  • She spent all night listening to a subliminal to change her eye color.
Hyponyms
blipvert, subliminal message, subtweet

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.