Educational Content: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
Definition of Memory span
Medically reviewed by Min Clinic Staff | Updated: January 2026
Memory span: The number of items, usually words or numbers, that a person can retain and recall. Memory span is a test of working memory (short-term memory). In a typical test of memory span, an examiner reads a list of random numbers aloud at about the rate of one number per second. At the end of a sequence, the person being tested is asked to recall the items, in order. The average memory span for normal adults is seven.