limen
- noun
- /ˈlaɪmən/
- Specialized
:
límite
- She couldn't perceive the faintest sounds as they fell below her auditory limen, making the room seem eerily quiet.
Examples
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The word sublime probably comes from Latin roots, sub meaning up to, and limen meaning threshold or doorway.
Academic text (1997) -
In psychology, a limen is defined as the minimum level of stimulus intensity needed for a person to detect a change.
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During the experiment, researchers measured the limen for sound, finding it to be significantly lower in trained musicians.
Synonyms
31
4.4
The smallest amount of a sound or touch a person can notice
1
5.3
The lowest level of sound, light, or touch that you can notice
The weakest amount of something that a person or animal can notice with their senses
Compounds
- Specialized
The smallest change in a thing, like sound, light or weight, that a person can notice
- Specialized
The smallest change in how strong a sound, touch, or light feels that a person can notice
How Detectable
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word limen comes from Latin limen, which means 'threshold' — the small step at a door where one room becomes another. So in science it names the smallest amount of sound, light, or taste that you can notice, and you can remember it from subliminal, which means 'below the threshold'.