| liminal | 1. Pertaining to a threshold. 2. Pertaining to a stimulus just strong enough to excite a tissue, e.g., nerve or muscle. Origin: L. Limen (limin-), a threshold (05 Mar 2000) |
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| liminal stimulus | A stimulus of threshold strength, i.e., one just strong enough to excite. See: adequate stimulus. Synonym: liminal stimulus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| liminal trait | A trait that falls into natural groups that originate not in categorically distinct causes but in whether or not the outcome attains critical values; e.g., gallstones may result from a categorical cause or from unusual levels of causal factors that themselves show no evidence of grouping. Synonym: liminal trait. (05 Mar 2000) |