anamnesis

A1N1A1M3N1E1S1I1S1
/ˌænæmˈniːsɪs/

noun

The ability to recall past events; recollection.

RareScrabble 11

Meanings

nounanamnesis (countable and uncountable, plural anamneses)

plural anamneses

  1. countableuncountableThe ability to recall past events; recollection.
  2. countableuncountableChristianityThe remembrance and celebration of God’s works by the liturgy of the church.
  3. countableuncountablemedicineA patient's account of their medical history.
    1 more example

    1898, Francis H. Stuart (translator), Oswald Vierordt, A Clinical Text-book of Medical Diagnosis for Physicians and Students, 4th Edition, [1897, O. Vierordt, Diagnostik der Innerer Krankheiten, 5th Edition], W. B. Saunders, page 19, But it is always well for the beginner to secure as complete an anamnesis, or prior history, as possible, in order that he may allow nothing of importance to escape his attention. The anamnesis generally begins with and involves the question as to whether the disease is acute or chronic, what organs are affected or inclined to be diseased.

  4. countableuncountablePlatonismepistemologyThe recollection of innate knowledge acquired before birth, according to Plato’s theory of epistemology.

    1990, Stewart Umphrey, Zetetic Skepticism, Longwood Academic, page 13, There are also reasons for thinking that Socratic anamnesis, inquiry and learning are quite unlike anamnesis, inquiry and learning as ordinarily understood.

  5. countablerhetoricuncountableThe mention of the past; quotation of exemplary authors from memory to establish one’s authority.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe case history of a medical patient as recalled by the patient

nounthe ability to recall past occurrences

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἀνάμνησις“remembrance”
  2. Englishanamnesis

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ἀνάμνησις (anámnēsis, “remembrance”), verbal noun of ἀναμιμνήσκω (anamimnḗskō), from ἀνα- (ana-) + μιμνῄσκω (mimnēískō, “call to mind”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic سِيرَة مَرَضِيَّة, تَارِيخ مَرَضِيّ
  • سِيرَة مَرَضِيَّةmedical history of a patient
  • تَارِيخ مَرَضِيّ (tārīḵ maraḍiyy)medical history of a patient
Bulgarian припомняне, анамнеза
  • припомняне (pripomnjane)recollection
  • анамнеза (anamneza)medical history of a patient
Catalan anamnesi, anamnesi
  • anamnesirecollection
  • anamnesimedical history of a patient
Czech anamnéza, předchorobí
  • anamnézamedical history of a patient
  • předchorobímedical history of a patient
Dutch anamnese
  • anamnesemedical history of a patient
Esperanto anamnezo
  • anamnezomedical history of a patient
Finnish anamneesi
  • anamneesimedical history of a patient
French anamnèse, anamnèse
  • anamnèserecollection
  • anamnèsemedical history of a patient
German Anamnese
  • Anamnesemedical history of a patient
Indonesian anamnesis
  • anamnesismedical history of a patient
Italian anamnesi
  • anamnesirecollection
Japanese 病歴
  • 病歴 (byōreki)medical history of a patient
Korean 병력
  • 병력 (byeongnyeok)medical history of a patient
Latin anamnēsis
  • anamnēsismedical history of a patient
Norwegian anamnese
  • anamneserecollection
Polish anamneza
  • anamnezamedical history of a patient
Portuguese anamnese, anamnésia
  • anamneserecollection
  • anamnésiarecollection
  • reminiscênciarecollection
  • memóriarecollection
  • anamnesemedical history of a patient
  • anamnésiamedical history of a patient
  • históricomedical history of a patient
Romanian anamneză
  • anamnezămedical history of a patient
Russian ана́мнез
  • ана́мнез (anámnez)medical history of a patient
Slovak anamnéza
  • anamnézamedical history of a patient
Spanish anamnesia, anamnesis
  • anamnesiarecollection
  • anamnesisrecollection
  • anámnesisrecollection
  • reminiscenciarecollection
  • anamnesismedical history of a patient
  • anámnesismedical history of a patient
Swedish anamnes
  • anamnesmedical history of a patient
Turkish anamnez, anamnezi
  • anamnezmedical history of a patient
  • anamnezimedical history of a patient
  • sağlık öyküsümedical history of a patient
Cite this entry
APA

anamnesis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anamnesis

MLA

“anamnesis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anamnesis. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “anamnesis,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anamnesis.

Source: anamnesis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.