Since the Latin word limen means "threshold", something subliminal exists just below the threshold of conscious awareness. The classic example of a subliminal message is "Eat popcorn" flashed on a …

SUBLIMINAL definition: 1. not recognized or understood by the conscious mind, but still having an influence on it: 2…. Learn more.

SUBLIMINAL definition: existing or operating below the threshold of consciousness; being or employing stimuli insufficiently intense to produce a discrete sensation but often being or designed to be intense …

Subliminal stimuli Subliminal stimuli (/ sʌbˈlɪmɪnəl /; sub- literally "below" or "less than") [1] are any sensory stimuli below an individual's threshold or limit for conscious perception, in contrast to …

If you’re worried, there’s not much you can do, because subliminal literally means “below the threshold” or surface of your conscious mind, and you probably will never even notice that you’re being controlled.

Definition of subliminal adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Subliminal influences or messages affect your mind without you being aware of it. Color has a profound, though often subliminal, influence on our senses and moods.

existing or operating below the threshold of consciousness; insufficiently intense to produce a discrete sensation but influencing or designed to influence mental processes or behavior: subliminal advertising.

subliminal, adj. & n. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

Dec 14, 2025 · subliminal (plural subliminals) (physiology) Chiefly preceded by the: something which is below the limen or threshold of conscious perception. [from late 19th c.]