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limbic system
noun
: a group of subcortical structures (such as the hypothalamus, the hippocampus, and the amygdala) of the brain that are concerned especially with emotion and motivation
Examples of limbic system in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When teams operate in high-pressure environments with unclear expectations or unresolved tensions, the brain’s limbic system activates the fight-or-flight response.
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Scott Hutcheson, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
During a migraine attack, the hypothalamus is thought to lose control over a collection of structures in the brain called the limbic system, which affects how a person responds to pain.
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Helen Thomson, WIRED, 25 Sep. 2024
Partly due to our evolutionary survival, and also due to our emotional limbic system, humans have often used storytelling as a cornerstone of belonging and inclusion.
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Julie Kratz, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
Emotion state: This one is part of the limbic system, where the body feels the effects of increasing emotions and leans on memories for information about the current experience.
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Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 28 Sep. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1952, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near limbic system
Cite this Entry
“Limbic system.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/limbic%20system. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
Medical Definition
limbic system
noun
: a group of subcortical structures (as the hypothalamus, the hippocampus, and the amygdala) of the brain that are concerned especially with emotion and motivation
More from Merriam-Webster on limbic system
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about limbic system
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