Basically, as the title says. Is there a word to (best) describe someone who sees and remembers every single thing?
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2Do you mean a "photographic memory", or do you want also want to include memory of things other than just images?– Peter ShorCommented May 16, 2015 at 11:09
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no, well generally I'm looking for a word to best describe both seeing/detecting everything and storing it. If it should be two words combine, I can live with that though... I was wondering if something like that existed...– Yves SchelpeCommented May 16, 2015 at 11:21
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"Photographic memory" is the common term that is well-understood. There are no doubt psychologist's terms that no one would recognize.– Hot LicksCommented May 16, 2015 at 11:25
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2Such people don't exist, so there isn't really a need for a psychology term, but they're pretty common in fiction.– user28567Commented May 16, 2015 at 11:36
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Ok, I'll just come up with some kind of word of my own, thanks for helping me out!– Yves SchelpeCommented May 16, 2015 at 11:42
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4 Answers
Eidetic means
marked by or involving extraordinarily accurate and vivid recall especially of visual images; an eidetic memory
Merriam-Webster
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I think that comes pretty close indeed. Thanks a lot. Have you any idea whether a word exists to best describe both seeing/detecting everything and storing it. If it should be two words combine, I can live with that though... I was wondering if something like that existed... Thinking out loud I know would say "eyedetic" ;-)... Commented May 16, 2015 at 11:22
In the case of Marilu Henner (of "Taxi") she vividly remembers every day of her life. The phenomenon is called Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory - or, H-SAM. They had a documentary about her abilities recently.
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I think I shall feel grateful for my Senior Moments henceforth...... Commented May 16, 2015 at 14:00
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From the Wikipedia article, though, it doesn't sound like a hyperthymestic is exactly "someone who sees and remembers every single thing"; for example, it notes that "Hyperthymestic individuals appear to have poorer than average memory for arbitrary information" (as opposed to autobiographical information). (I guess it depends what kind of "every single thing" the OP has in mind.)– ruakhCommented May 16, 2015 at 20:14
Photographic memory would be close.
Hyperthymesia is the single word meaning Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory. Hope this helps!
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I agree with Hyperthymesia, and there are people who can do this--it is a type of Asperger's syndrome. Commented Sep 27, 2016 at 18:46