hippocampus

Etymology

From Late Latin hippocampus, from Ancient Greek ἱππόκαμπος (hippókampos), from ῐ̔́ππος (híppos, “horse”) + κάμπος (kámpos, “sea-monster”). The anatomy sense is so named from its resemblance to the seahorse.

noun

1. (mythology) A mythological creature with the front head and forelimbs of a horse and the rear of a dolphin.
2. (neuroanatomy, anatomy) A part of the brain located inside the temporal lobe, consisting mainly of grey matter. It is a component of the limbic system and plays a role in memory and emotion.
   The hippocampus is central to the laying down of memories. 2019, Bill Bryson, The Body: A Guide for Occupants, Black Swan (2020), page 63