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Definitions from WordNet

Definitions from the Web

Phantom Limb

Description

Phantom limb refers to the sensation that an amputated or missing limb is still attached and can still be felt. It is a complex phenomenon that occurs after limb loss, where individuals experience a range of sensations, including pain, itching, and movement in the absent limb.

Senses

1. Medical Sense

In medicine, phantom limb is a condition experienced by amputees where they perceive sensations, often including pain, originating from the lost limb.

Example sentence: The patient still felt excruciating pain in their phantom limb, despite not having a physical limb anymore.

2. Neurological Sense

In neuroscience, phantom limb refers to the brain's representation of the missing limb that continues to generate signals, leading to the sensation of its presence.

Example sentence: Studies have shown that phantom limb sensations originate from the brain's neural patterns associated with the missing limb.

Usages

1. Popular Usage

In popular culture, the term phantom limb is often used metaphorically to describe the lingering emotional or psychological sensations related to a person's past experiences or relationships.

Example sentence: The breakup left him with a phantom limb, constantly feeling the absence of his ex-partner.

2. Local Usage

In local communities, phantom limb may refer to folklore or superstitions surrounding the ghostly presence believed to be associated with missing body parts.

Example sentence: The villagers shared eerie stories about encounters with phantom limbs haunting the old cemetery.

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