Appealing and easy to remember, especially referring to music, phrases, or ideas. Having a quality that grabs and holds attention.
From catch + -y suffix, literally 'tending to catch'. The sense of 'memorable, appealing' developed from the idea of something that 'catches' in the mind.
Neuroscientists have found that catchy songs activate the same brain reward pathways as food and drugs. The 'earworm' effect happens when musical patterns create a cognitive itch that only repeating the song can scratch.
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