long-term memory: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumAcademic, Technical, Everyday (in educated contexts)
Quick answer
What does “long-term memory” mean?
The part of memory responsible for storing information for extended periods, from minutes to a lifetime.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The part of memory responsible for storing information for extended periods, from minutes to a lifetime.
In cognitive psychology, the system that holds knowledge, skills, and experiences relatively permanently, with a large capacity and requiring conscious effort for retrieval in some cases.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling follows national conventions for 'long-term' (hyphenated in both).
Connotations
Identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American academic publishing due to larger volume of psychology research, but equally standard in British English.
Grammar
How to Use “long-term memory” in a Sentence
Noun + of + long-term memory (e.g., 'the capacity of long-term memory')Adjective + long-term memory (e.g., 'declarative long-term memory')Verb + long-term memory (e.g., 'enhance long-term memory')Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “long-term memory” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The experience was deeply encoded and will be long-term memorised.
- We need to long-term memorise these safety procedures.
American English
- The experience was deeply encoded and will be long-term memorized.
- We need to long-term memorize these core principles.
adverb
British English
- The information was stored long-term memorially.
- He functions long-term memorially very well.
American English
- The knowledge is retained long-term memorially.
- The data suggests it is encoded long-term memorially.
adjective
British English
- She has impressive long-term memory recall.
- The long-term memory effects of the treatment were studied.
American English
- He has impressive long-term memory capabilities.
- The long-term memory impact of childhood nutrition is significant.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in training and development contexts, e.g., 'The training programme aims to transfer skills to employees' long-term memory.'
Academic
Core term in psychology, neuroscience, and education research, e.g., 'The study examined hippocampal involvement in long-term memory consolidation.'
Everyday
Used in discussions about learning, ageing, or personal experience, e.g., 'My long-term memory for childhood events is still quite clear.'
Technical
Precise term in clinical, cognitive, and computational contexts, e.g., 'The model distinguishes between episodic and semantic long-term memory stores.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “long-term memory”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “long-term memory”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “long-term memory”
- Using 'long-time memory' (incorrect).
- Omitting the hyphen in 'long-term' when used as a compound modifier before 'memory'.
- Confusing it with 'working memory' in descriptions of immediate cognitive tasks.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a hyphenated compound noun when used as a single concept: 'long-term memory'. The hyphen is often retained even when used attributively (e.g., 'long-term memory capacity').
The primary differences are duration and capacity. Short-term memory holds information for seconds to minutes with limited capacity (~7 items). Long-term memory stores information indefinitely with a vast, essentially unlimited capacity.
Yes, through techniques like spaced repetition, elaborative rehearsal, connecting new information to existing knowledge, ensuring adequate sleep for consolidation, and maintaining good brain health.
No. Modern models include multiple types: episodic (events), semantic (facts/knowledge), procedural (skills/habits), and others like perceptual or autobiographical memory.
The part of memory responsible for storing information for extended periods, from minutes to a lifetime.
Long-term memory is usually academic, technical, everyday (in educated contexts) in register.
Long-term memory: in British English it is pronounced /ˌlɒŋ ˈtɜːm ˈmem.ər.i/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌlɔːŋ ˈtɝːm ˈmem.ər.i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Commit something to long-term memory”
- “Etched in long-term memory”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of LTM as your brain's 'Library' or 'Hard Drive' – where information is stored for the 'Long Time'.
Conceptual Metaphor
MEMORY IS A STORAGE CONTAINER (a vast warehouse, a library, a computer hard drive).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a typical subsystem of long-term memory?