Definition of "subliminal" [sub•lim•i•nal]

• Psychology Below the threshold of conscious perception. Used of stimuli. (adjective)
• Psychology Inadequate to produce conscious awareness but able to evoke a response: subliminal propaganda. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Although each individual sighting of a logo has only a short-term subliminal effect, researchers fear that walking daily past numerous burger bars and sandwich shops could have a cumulative "behavioural priming" effect, making people hurry whether or not they are pushed for time."
• "CNN is always seems to be throughing in subliminal messages supporting Clinton."
• "I used the word subliminal because the Cruise collections are actually already in stores right now."