subliminal

The adjective is derived from sub- (prefix meaning ‘beneath, under’) +‎ liminal (“of or pertaining to an entrance or threshold”) (from Latin līminālis, from līmen (“doorstep, threshold; doorway, entrance; beginning, commencement”)^[1] (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *Heh₃l- (“to bend, bow; elbow”)) + *-mn̥ (suffix forming action nouns or result nouns from verbs)) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship from nouns)). The English word is borrowed from German subliminal, or a calque of German unterschwellig (“subliminal”, literally “beneath the threshold”).^[2]

The noun is derived from the adjective.^[2]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): [ˌsʌbˈlɪm.ɪ.nl̩], [səˈblɪm.ɪ.nl̩]
• (General American) IPA^(key): /səˈblɪm.ɪ.nəl/, [səˈblɪm.ɪ.nl̩]

  • Audio (General American):

    (file)

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˌsabˈlɪm.ɪ.nəl/, [ˌsabˈlɪm.ɪ.nl̩]
• Hyphenation: sub‧li‧min‧al

subliminal (comparative more subliminal, superlative most subliminal)

1. (physiology) Of a stimulus: below the limen or threshold of conscious perception, especially if still able to produce a response; also (generally), below the threshold where a response can be produced. [from late 19th c.]

   Synonyms: latent, underthreshold

   Antonym: superliminal

2. (psychology) Without directed awareness or thought; subconscious (dated), unconscious. [from late 19th c.]
3. (by extension) Of an advertisement, a message, etc.: conveyed in a manner that a person is unaware of being influenced by it. [from mid 20th c.]

• sub-liminal (dated)

• subliminality
• subliminally
• subliminal message
• subtweet

subliminal (plural subliminals)

1. (physiology) Chiefly preceded by the: something which is below the limen or threshold of conscious perception. [from late 19th c.]
2. (psychology) Chiefly preceded by the: the subconscious (dated) or unconscious self. [from late 19th c.]
3. (by extension) An advertisement, a message, etc., which is conveyed in a manner that a person is unaware of being influenced by it. [from mid 20th c.]

• (advertisement): blipvert

•   subliminal stimuli on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
•   subliminal (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

English subliminal, itself a calque from German unterschwellig.

• IPA^(key): /sy.bli.mi.nal/

• Audio:

  (file)

subliminal (feminine subliminale, masculine plural subliminaux, feminine plural subliminales)

1. subliminal

   Synonym: subliminaire

   Antonym: supraliminal

• subliminalement

• “subliminal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Borrowed from French subliminal.

subliminal m or n (feminine singular subliminală, masculine plural subliminali, feminine and neuter plural subliminale)

1. subliminal

Morphologically sub- (“under, below”) + Latin līmen (“threshold”) (genitive līminis) + -al (“adjective”).

• IPA^(key): /sublimiˈnal/ [su.β̞li.miˈnal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: su‧bli‧mi‧nal

subliminal m or f (masculine and feminine plural subliminales)

1. subliminal

• “subliminal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2023 November 28