flashback
UK: ˈflaʃbak | US: ˈflæʃbæk
n. 1. A sudden, vivid memory of a past event, often traumatic.
n. 2. A narrative technique in literature or film showing an earlier event.
vi. 3. To experience or recall a past event vividly.
flashback = flash<sudden light/event> + back<return to the past>
- flash: From Middle English flashen (to splash, dash), likely imitative of sudden light or movement.
- back: From Old English bæc (rear, past position), Proto-Germanic bakam.
Etymology Origin:
Coined in the early 20th century, "flashback" merges "flash" (implying speed and intensity) with "back" (temporal reversal). Originally used in psychology for traumatic recall, it later expanded to cinematic and literary devices. The word’s logic mirrors the abrupt "flashing" of memory into the present.
The veteran had a flashback of the battlefield during the fireworks.
The film used a flashback to reveal the character’s childhood.
She flashed back to her graduation day when she heard the song.
His speech triggered a flashback of their first meeting.
The novel’s flashback clarified the protagonist’s motives.