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.]
4. (Internet slang) An audio or video recording, often consisting of ambient music or white noise with hidden affirmations, intended to produce physical or psychological changes in the listener through repetition.

   She spent all night listening to a subliminal to change her eye color.

• (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 (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Somain)):

  (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/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 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025